Overview
- Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, stated she is preparing for an early presidential election, citing Emmanuel Macron's political 'fragility.'
- Le Pen criticized Macron's leadership, claiming he has lost authority domestically and internationally, including diminished influence within the European Union.
- Macron's government has been destabilized by a hung parliament, with Le Pen's party playing a key role in ousting former Prime Minister Michel Barnier earlier this month.
- Critics argue Le Pen's push for an early election may be motivated by her upcoming trial on embezzlement charges, which could bar her from public office if convicted.
- New Prime Minister François Bayrou faces significant challenges in stabilizing the government, as divisions persist across France's fractured political landscape.