Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 07:09 pm
Paris, France-It has been touted as the most successful Paris 2024 Olympics, bringing one of those rare moments of unity and national pride; now, as the Games head toward a close, political deadlock has met President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to call snap legislative elections.
Fractured Parliament and Crisis in Leadership
The most recent elections have returned a hung parliament divided between three dominant blocs: the left, Macron centrists, and far right. None of these blocs has an overall majority, making the government’s life straitened. France is without a new prime minister for five weeks, and the previous government, led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, serves in caretaking throughout the Olympics.
Macron’s Hopes for Olympic Success
President Macron perhaps is counting on the success of the Olympics to turn his waning fortunes, much as the 1998 football World Cup boosted then-President Jacques Chirac. But given the Paralympics, scheduled from August 28 to September 8, Macron’s return to political reality can only be appropriately termed uncertain.
Political Landscape and Approval Ratings
While the Games have temporarily lifted national spirits, it is not yet clear whether the good vibes will translate into political gains for Macron, whose approval ratings remain below 30%. During both the election campaign and throughout the Olympics, Macron has kept an extremely low profile, spending most of his time at the presidential holiday residence in the Mediterranean and making only occasional appearances in Paris.
Commentator’s View on Political
“The Games success acted like an echo to a France that had been suffering from a decline ethos reminding us that yes, we are still capable of great things,” said Emmanuel Riviere, a political commentator. “That does not change anything in terms of politics. It does not change the fact that the political situation remains blocked, and a lot of electors are still angry, furious with Macron.”
Challenges in Forming a Government
The first thing that Macron has to do is appoint a new prime minister and form a government, no easier than it was before the Olympics. The left-wing New Popular Front, which came out of the elections as the biggest faction, proposed economist Lucie Castets as prime minister. But the idea was met with little interest from Macron’s centrist forces, which seemed more interested in reaching an alliance with the traditional right. Xavier Bertrand, a former minister from Chirac’s cabinet and leader of the northern Hauts de France region since 2015, consistently emerges as the likely head of a centrist coalition.
Prime Ministerial Candidate Debate
Outgoing Equality Minister Aurore Berge has similarly put forward Bertrand, a former leader of the conservative Republicans, citing his cabinet and parliament experience. But the idea has been resisted on the left, with Castets and other leaders pushing back against Macron making the Olympics an excuse for a political “truce” to avoid changes. Timing of Prime Minister Announcement in Doubt
There had been some speculation that Macron might announce the new premier at any moment between the end of the Olympics and the start of the Paralympics. A source close to the president has, however, played down the chances of any swift solution.
Rising Political Temperatures
It may have salved political wounds, but it hasn’t healed the deep structural issues that have bedeviled relations. “It’s not because we took selfies in front of the Olympic cauldron that we’re suddenly going to form a coalition,” said a senior figure close to Macron.
Uncertain Political Future
Macron remains undecided as to what comes next, meaning France’s political future is widely open to question.
Paris, France – Unfolding as the resounding success that it has been, the Paris 2024 Olympics have far surpassed expectations of this rare moment of unity and pride in France. With the Games drawing to a close, President Emmanuel Macron will have to deal with the next uncomfortable reality-a political deadlock after he called snap legislative elections.
The recent elections left France with a fragmented parliament divided between three major blocs: the left, Macron’s centrist faction and the far right. No bloc holds a clear majority-a factor that makes governance hard work. For five weeks, there was no prime minister to head a new government in the country, with the old government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, staying on in a caretaker capacity until the end of the Olympics.
If he is counting on his currently flagging popularity getting a fillip from the Olympic success-the same thing happened in 1998 to former President Jacques Chirac after the football World Cup-then he is mistaken. With the Paralympics to take place on August 28-September 8, Macron faces an uncertain return to political reality.
The Games have lightened the national mood, at least for the time being, but it is anybody’s guess if this good vibe will be transformed into any political dividend for Macron-whose approval ratings stand at less than 30%. During the election campaign and the Olympics, Macron has kept an extremely low profile, spending most of his time at the presidential holiday residence in the Mediterranean and only making occasional appearances in Paris.
“This successful performance of the Games has resonated with a country that was feeling decline, reminding us that we are still capable of great achievements,” said political commentator Emmanuel Riviere. “But this doesn’t change the political landscape. The situation remains deadlocked and many voters are frustrated, angry with Macron.”
This means the president’s urgent task is to appoint a new prime minister and then form a government—a task that will be no easier than it was before the Olympics. A left-wing New Popular Front, coming out as the biggest faction after the elections, proposed economist Lucie Castets as the next prime minister. However, it seemed that Macron’s centrist forces had shown little interest in that proposal and were much more interested in an alliance with the traditional right. Xavier Bertrand, a minister from the Chirac era who now leads the northern Hauts de France region, sees his name most consistently floated to stand at the head of a centrist coalition.
Outgoing Equality Minister Aurore Berge also put forward the candidature of Bertrand, referring to his experience both in government and parliament. However, such a candidature immediately faced resistance from the left; Castets and other leaders accused Macron of political “truce” due to the Olympics without making changes that were actually needed.
The fact that the end of the Olympics and the start of the Paralympics create a window when news events are at a minimum raised speculation that Macron will have named a new prime minister, but sources close to the president have played down the prospect of any swift outcome.
The Olympics have smoothed over political temperatures, but for now, no fundamentals have been cleared. “It’s not because we took selfies in front of the Olympic cauldron that we’re suddenly going to form a coalition,” said one senior figure close to Macron.
Meanwhile, with every passing day in which Macron weighs his options, the future of French politics becomes even more open-ended.