Macron won’t rule out fresh elections in France

One year after dissolving the French parliament to trigger fresh elections in a bid to solidify his grip on power in France, President Emmanuel Macron has declined to rule out trying the same trick again.

Speaking at a press conference in Nice on Monday, Macron said: “My wish is that there’s not another dissolution, but I’m not in the habit of depriving myself of a constitutional power.”

After a poor showing by his party in last year’s European elections saw them receive fewer than half the votes of the far-right opposition National Rally (RN), Macron gambled on new nationwide elections to help him regain authority and legitimacy.

The move backfired spectacularly, with an unexpectedly strong showing by an impromptu left-wing alliance beating both Macron’s electoral coalition and the RN.

France’s political landscape has since been fractious, leading many to speculate Macron would be tempted to call elections again as soon as the law permits, in early July. In April Macron rubbished press reports he was planning to dissolve parliament again, saying he had never considered doing so.

In Nice, where he is attending the UN Oceans Conference, Macron said he wants to see more cooperation.

“The political parties who are able to form a majority in the National Assembly need to show that they can work together, like our neighbors do,” he said. “That’s what democracy is about in moments where countries are divided.”

But for as long as that cooperation remains elusive, the constitutional power to roll the dice again will occupy Macron’s mind — whether he admits it or not.

Nicholas Camut contributed to this report.