Macron Defiant as France Faces Turmoil, No-Confidence Threat

French President Emmanuel Macron pushed back hard against calls to quit on Monday, lashing out at his rivals as his brand-new government stares down two no-confidence votes that could bring it crashing down by week's end.

The challenges are coming from the far-left France Unbowed party and the far-right National Rally, spotlighting France's deepest political mess in years—a fractured parliament and a string of weak governments battling to pass tough budget cuts.

From Egypt, where he was joining efforts to stop the Gaza conflict, Macron pointed fingers at opponents for stirring up trouble. He swore he'd stick it out until his term wraps in 2027, stressing his job is to keep things steady and just "serve, serve, and serve."

• Macron Faces Twin No-Confidence Votes as France’s Political Crisis Deepens
• Sebastien Lecornu’s New Cabinet Battles Budget Chaos and Threats to Macron’s Rule
• Far-Left and Far-Right Unite Against Macron Amid France’s Worst Political Turmoil in Years

In under two years, Macron's burned through five prime ministers. His pick this time? Sebastien Lecornu, brought back Friday after stepping down days earlier. The cabinet lineup, dropped Sunday, mostly recycled the old guard, even though there was talk of shaking things up with new blood and more variety.

Sebastien Lecornu, already tagged as France's quickest PM ever with just 27 days on the job before, might face the vote Thursday. He'll need the Socialists to pull through, but they're demanding big giveaways—like ditching Macron's hated pension overhaul and slapping a tax on the super-rich, stuff the right won't touch.

France is grappling with the euro zone's worst deficit, and the fresh team gathers Monday to hash out a 2026 budget due Wednesday. The last guys, Michel Barnier and Francois Bayrou, got booted over budget rows—Barnier in December for 2025 slashes, Bayrou last month on 2026 plans.

Socialist Philippe Brun hinted his group could back off if Lecornu skips a sneaky constitutional move (Article 49.3) to force laws through and hits pause on pensions. RN boss Jordan Bardella said he'd even team up with the left to derail Macron, saying it's what's best for France right now.

Also Read: China's Chip Advances Threaten U.S. Lead, Nvidia CEO Warns

Macron blamed the Bayrou topplers and Lecornu saboteurs for the whole fiasco, shutting down ideas of snap elections or stepping aside. With parliament split three ways, France's future looks shaky.