The presidency of Emmanuel Macron appears to be on life support, and the forced resignation of his Prime Minister, Sebastien Lecornu, may be the moment the plug was pulled on its remaining vitality. The event signals the almost complete incapacitation of Macron’s executive authority, leaving him as a president in name only.
Lecornu’s appointment was supposed to be a fresh injection of energy, an attempt to resuscitate a presidency plagued by legislative gridlock. However, the move backfired catastrophically. The rejection of Lecornu’s cabinet was so swift and total that it acted like a system-wide shock, shutting down any remaining hope for a functional government under Macron.
The imagery used by opponents, such as Socialist leader Olivier Faure’s claim that Macron’s camp is “imploding,” contributes to this sense of a political death spiral. It paints a picture of a presidency that is not just failing, but actively disintegrating from within, losing its core functions and vital signs.
The departure of three prime ministers in a row due to the same fundamental conflict with parliament is a clear symptom of this critical condition. It shows a body politic that is rejecting every attempt by the president to lead. The system is no longer responding to his commands.
While Macron remains in the Elysee Palace, his effective power is fading fast. The collapse of the Lecornu government has left his presidency on life support, with a grim prognosis. The key question now is not whether his administration can recover, but how long it can survive in this incapacitated state.