French President Emmanuel Macron speaks with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin (not pictured) in Paris on May 23, 2024.
CNBC
French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated on Wednesday that he would not resign if his party suffered in recent French parliamentary elections.
The chance of that happening “never existed,” Macron told reporters. He called the proposal “absurd” and said he wanted to nip the idea in the bud, according to a French report translated by CNBC.
Macron dissolved the French parliament on Sunday and called for early parliamentary elections later in June after suffering a crushing defeat in European Parliament elections over the weekend in which right-wing parties made big gains in several countries, including France, Germany and Austria .
Macron said he “doesn’t plan to campaign anymore.” [he did] 2017 and 2022” in the general elections and will leave this task to the French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, together “and the leaders of the majority who are there alongside him”.
The early election is a gamble for Macron, who described the race as a choice by the French people between nationalism and demagoguery or liberal values and a strong, united European Union.
The results of the European Parliament elections suggested voters’ waning enthusiasm for the EU, which analysts say is at least partly due to increasing frustration over issues such as immigration, the cost of living and crime.
“For me, who has always believed that a united, strong and independent Europe is good for France, this is a situation that I cannot accept,” Macron said on Sunday.
France’s right-wing Rassemblement National (NR) won a historic 31.37% of the French vote for the European Parliament, more than double the 14.6% received by Macron’s Renaissance Party.
A possible NR victory in France’s snap elections later this month would not remove Macron from power – he remains president but would have to appoint a new prime minister from that party, which would significantly reduce his power over domestic affairs.
Analysts say Macron’s move appears to be a tactical gamble. The president hopes that either the French national vote does not reflect the European Parliament’s vote or that the specter of a far-right victory will mobilize the center to vote in favor of preventing the NR from gaining more power.
Many observers also suspect that Macron believes that even if the NR wins, the French public will be disappointed with its leadership come presidential elections in 2027.
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Some political commentators and critics have described the president’s actions as arrogant, selfish and reckless; and it apparently sparked anger among members of his own party.
In his nationwide address announcing the decision to dissolve parliament on Sunday, Macron said he had “heard” voters’ concerns and would “not leave them unanswered… France needs a clear majority to live in serenity and harmony to act.”
The first round of voting will take place on June 30th and the second on July 7th.
— CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt contributed to this report.
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2024-06-12 16:38:34
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