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Former PM Philippe, a former partner of Emmanuel Macron, has stated his backing for premature presidential elections given the gravity of the political crisis rocking the nation.

The comments by Philippe, a leading moderate right candidate to follow Emmanuel Macron, came as the resigning premier, Sébastien Lecornu, began a final effort to rally multi-party support for a new cabinet to rescue the country out of its growing political deadlock.

Urgency is critical, the former PM stated to RTL radio. It is impossible to extend what we have been facing for the past half a year. Another 18 months is far too long and it is harming the country. The political game we are playing today is distressing.

His comments were echoed by Jordan Bardella, the leader of the right-wing National Rally (RN), who earlier this week said he, too, backed initially a ending the current assembly, then general elections or snap presidential polls.

Emmanuel Macron has instructed Sébastien Lecornu, who stepped down on the start of the week just under a month after he was appointed and a few hours after his administration was announced, to stay on for a brief period to seek to rescue the cabinet and plan a solution from the crisis.

Emmanuel Macron has said he is willing to assume his responsibilities in case of failure, sources at the presidential palace have told French media, a statement generally seen as meaning he would call snap parliamentary elections.

Increasing Unrest Inside Emmanuel Macron's Supporters

There were also signs of growing unrest within his supporters, with Gabriel Attal, another former prime minister, who leads the president's centrist party, stating on the start of the week he could not comprehend the president's choices and it was time to try something else.

Sébastien Lecornu, who stepped down after opposition parties and allies alike condemned his administration for failing to represent enough of a break with previous line-ups, was convening with group heads from early in the day at his office in an effort to resolve the impasse.

Background of the Crisis

The nation has been in a political crisis for more than a year since Macron called a early poll in the previous year that resulted in a hung parliament separated into several approximately similar-sized groups: left-wing parties, nationalist factions and the president's coalition, with no majority.

The outgoing premier earned the title of the briefest-serving prime minister in contemporary France when he stepped down, the country's fifth prime minister since Macron's re-election and the third since the parliamentary dissolution of 2024.

Forthcoming Elections and Financial Issues

All parties are establishing their viewpoints before presidential elections due in 2027 that are projected to be a critical juncture in French politics, with the National Rally under its leader anticipating its greatest opportunity of gaining control.

It is also, being played out against a worsening financial crisis. France's debt-to-GDP ratio is the EU's among the top three after the Greek Republic and Italy, almost twice the maximum allowed under EU rules – as is its projected budget deficit of almost six percent.