The right-wing politician has called on President Emmanuel Macron to either dissolve the National Assembly or resign
Veteran right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen has vowed to block any new government action, after President Emmanuel Macron promised to appoint a new prime minister within two days amid a deepening political crisis.
Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) is the largest single party in parliament. On Wednesday, she urged Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call new elections, or step down himself.
”I vote against everything… This joke has gone on long enough,” the three-time presidential candidate said.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned on Monday after criticism of his cabinet choices. With France’s debt at a record high and debate over the 2026 budget ongoing, Macron has asked him to remain in office as caretaker until midweek. On Wednesday evening, Macron said he would name a new premier within two days, a move aimed at avoiding the dissolution of parliament and forming a compromise coalition government capable of passing the budget.
Parliamentary leaders rejected a bid to impeach Macron on Wednesday, and Mathilde Panot of left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) blamed abstaining RN lawmakers for blocking the motion. RN has repeatedly framed left-driven impeachment pushes as political theatre, while party president Jordan Bardella has argued the only “solution” is dissolution of the assembly or Macron’s resignation.
France has been mired in political paralysis since Macron’s gamble on snap elections last year resulted in a hung parliament and increased representation for the far right. RN now holds nearly one quarter of the National Assembly’s 577 seats.
Recent opinion polls show RN leading with around 35% of voting intentions, ahead of Macron’s centrist alliance.
Le Pen, who ran for president in 2017 and 2022 but lost both times to Macron, was barred from holding public office earlier this year after a French court found her guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds, a ruling she is appealing. Bardella is meanwhile seen by many as a potential future contender for the presidency.
