The French are drawing grim conclusions from Macron’s two terms — Politico 📉

Macronism, which began in 2017 as a project to renew French politics and overcome the traditional left‑right divide, is coming to an end along with Emmanuel Macron’s second term.

Over ten years, the movement has gone from a parliamentary majority to political fragmentation: after the 2022 elections, the president lost his absolute majority, and the dissolution of the National Assembly in 2024 led to an even more fragmented parliament. The 2023 pension reform became one of the most controversial decisions of his second term, and by 2026, the issue of Macron’s legacy had become central to the centrist camp itself. Former ministers and potential successors are increasingly distancing themselves from his management style and certain outcomes of his presidency.

France’s public debt has approached 120% of GDP, and the high cost of servicing it has become an additional problem for the government. Political instability after 2024 has complicated the adoption of the budget and the implementation of new reforms. In foreign policy, Macron has retained a prominent role in the EU and in matters of European security, but at home his model of governance is increasingly associated with excessive centralization and a weak ability to negotiate with the parliament and social groups.

The main problem facing the current presidential administration is the lack of a stable political heir and an independent structure capable of continuing the original project. Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, who are considering running in the 2027 elections, acknowledge certain aspects of Macron’s policy, but at the same time distance themselves from his management practices. Even within the former presidential majority, discussions are increasingly focusing on public debt, political polarization, the weakening of the parliamentary majority, and the loss of the original idea of overcoming old party boundaries.

#France #Macron

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