In shock interventions, two former prime ministers spoke out to lambast Macron’s handling of an escalating fiasco, with Gabriel Attal saying he could no longer understand the president’s decisions and Edouard Philippe urging early presidential elections.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, appointed less than a month ago, stepped down on Monday morning after failing to rally support across the centre-right coalition for his new government, which is also only supported by a minority in parliament.

Macron later gave Lecornu until Wednesday evening to resolve the situation, raising the prospect that the premier had a lifeline to stay in office, but this was far from guaranteed.

France has been locked in a political crisis since Macron’s gamble to hold legislative elections in the summer of 2024 backfired and resulted in a hung parliament and a strengthened far right.

Facing the biggest domestic crisis of his mandate, Macron could now reappoint Lecornu, select what would be the eighth prime minister of his mandate or hold new legislative elections.

In a more extreme option, he could step down early and hold snap presidential elections in which he would not be allowed to stand.

‘Leaving in an orderly manner’ 

Philippe, Macron’s longest-serving premier from 2017 to 2020 and a centre-right contender in the next presidential elections, said the polls should be held early once a budget is passed.

Denouncing a “distressing political game”, he said it was up to Macron to help France “emerge in an orderly and dignified manner from a political crisis that is harming the country”.

“He must take the decision that is worthy of his function, which is to guarantee the continuity of the institutions by leaving in an orderly manner,” Philippe told RTL.

Attal, whose brief tenure as France’s youngest-ever premier was ended by Macron’s decision to hold the 2024 snap elections, on Monday evening said, “I no longer understand the president’s decisions.”

After a succession of new premiers, it was “time to try something else”, Attal, who now leads the main pro-Macron party, told the TF1 broadcaster.

Since the 2024 presidential elections, “there have been decisions that give the impression of a kind of determination to keep control,” he added.

Attal on Tuesday, however, told his lawmakers that he did not want Macron to resign, according to a participant at the meeting who asked not to be named.

Le Monde daily wrote, “The presidential camp is seeking to distance itself from Macron.”

Lecornu started meeting party leaders at the prime minister’s office in an attempt to breach the impasse.

Socialist party leader Olivier Faure late Monday called for “a change of course” with a “left-wing government”.

Bruno Retailleau, leader of the right-wing Republicans and outgoing interior minister, said he was not against remaining in a cabinet with Macron’s centrists as long as it did not mean fewer members from his party.

The next premier will face the challenge of finding enough support for an austerity budget at a time when France’s public debt has reached a record high.

Lecornu’s two immediate predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were ousted by parliament in a standoff over the spending bill.

‘Wise’ for Macron to resign 

The chaos comes ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, expected to be a historic crossroads in French politics, with the French far right under Marine Le Pen sensing its best chance yet of taking power.

Le Pen, whose candidacy in the presidential elections is in severe doubt due to a fraud conviction, said it would be “wise” for Macron to resign but also urged snap legislative polls as “absolutely necessary”.

The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) of firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon, France’s biggest left-wing force, meanwhile, wants an impeachment process for Macron to begin in parliament, although the measure would be extremely complex to push through.

An opinion poll by Odoxa of more than 1,000 French people published Monday found that 57% believe the president was “entirely responsible” for Lecornu stepping down, and 70% were in favour of the president’s resignation.