How President Macron led France out of political crisis and for how long?

On 5 February, France's new government, led by François Bayrou, survived two consecutive no-confidence votes, thereby securing approval of the state budget for the current year through a special procedure.

Although this will not be the last attempt to challenge the government, these votes make it highly unlikely that the far-left party France Unbowed will succeed in creating constant political chaos.

Read more about how France's new government was saved and whether it will last in the article by Yurii Panchenko, European Pravda's editor – Macron’s subtle victory: how France has began emerging from political crisis.

The fact that France still lacked an approved state budget in February was an unprecedented situation.

This crisis stemmed from the absence of a parliamentary majority that any prime minister appointed by President Macron could rely on.

On 2 December, then-Prime Minister Michel Barnier took a bold step, passing both the state budget law and the related social budget law using a special parliamentary procedure.

On 4 December, the French Parliament approved Barnier’s resignation. His government lost a no-confidence vote initiated by the left-wing New Popular Front coalition, which was also supported by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally.

Far-left France Unbowed, the largest faction within the New Popular Front, openly stated their goal: to bring down any government appointed by Emmanuel Macron, ultimately forcing him out of office.

This week’s votes were therefore crucial, not only for the fate of François Bayrou’s government but also, to some extent, for Macron’s presidency itself.

Once again, the far-right National Rally and the Socialist Party, which had distanced itself from the New Popular Front, chose not to support the government’s dismissal.

The Socialists' stance proved decisive both in approving the budget and in preventing the government's collapse.

This internal split within the New Popular Front represents Macron’s biggest success, and, at the same time, the key to his government's survival.

"The Socialists now hold a central position in the National Assembly, as nothing can be done without them or against them," explained former French President and current Socialist MP François Hollande.

According to him, the Socialists deliberately rejected France Unbowed strategy, which was focused solely on obstructing the government and triggering early presidential elections.

Instead, they opted for "a compromise in the interest of the French people."

Prime Minister Bayrou, however, also made significant concessions to secure the Socialists’ loyalty.

At this stage, the far left’s chances of bringing down the government now seem extremely slim.

Macron has managed to fracture the New Popular Front and peel away its most moderate force.

The Socialists insist they remain in opposition, but not as uncompromising as France Unbowed, which gives Bayrou’s government a chance to last until the 2027 presidential election. It also removes the issue of Macron’s resignation from the political agenda.

The end of France’s political crisis is undoubtedly good news for Ukraine, as domestic turmoil will no longer hinder Macron’s foreign policy initiatives.

Another political crisis in France is inevitable though. The only question is: will it come closer to the 2027 elections or even sooner?