Emmanuel Macron makes a critical comment on France’s general election

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French President Emmanuel Macron has said he takes responsibility for the political divisions caused by his decision to hold parliamentary elections in the summer, saying the move has caused “more instability than peace”.

“I have to realize tonight that the current dissolution has brought more divisions to the Assembly than solutions for the French people,” he said in a New Year’s speech. “I totally believe that.”

The speech, Macron’s eighth as president, comes at the end of a year in which his political influence has been severely weakened by the collapse in June, which strengthened the Rassemblement National and left France’s parliament divided into three blocs.

After a disappointing performance for his centrist party in the European elections at the beginning of June, Macron has shocked France by dissolving parliament, saying the country needs a “moment of explanation” to deal with the rise of the RN in European elections.

But the elections that followed turned people against his centrist plan, and made the RN France the main party in a fractured parliament.

Macron appointed radical politician and former Brexit spokesman Michel Barnier as prime minister in September. However, he was ousted in a no-confidence motion last month after failing to muster support from the left and right for a budget aimed at reducing France’s deficit, which has risen more than 6 percent by 2024.

Macron has already appointed his friend François Bayrou as prime minister. Calling on politicians to compromise on 2025, he suggested he could also ask French voters to go to the polls again next year.

“I will ask you again to decide on some important points, because each of you will have a role to play,” he said, echoing comments from several commentators. that they have suggested possible referendums in 2025.

Macron also spoke about the foreign policy challenges for France in the coming year.

Following the re-election of Donald Trump as US president, who has asked for more defense spending by Nato allies, Macron said, “Europe will no longer provide its defense and security to other powers,” he reiterated his calls for more European defense spending.

He also called on Europe to “simplify its rules” to encourage more investment from businesses.

But the address is unlikely to change Macron’s opinion among voters. His popularity has plummeted this year, with only 21 percent of people confident in his ability to solve France’s problems, in a December poll by Elabe.

His far-right rival Marine Le Pen said in her new year’s message on Tuesday that “regrets in hindsight or making random requests from a head of state that has been clearly criticized will not change nothing”.

While not explicitly calling on Macron to hold the first presidential election before the next election scheduled for 2027, Le Pen said 2025 would be a “decisive year”, adding that France can only solve its problems by “democratic decision”.