Edouard Philippe has urged the French leader to call an early presidential election due to the deepening political crisis

Former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has called on French President Emmanuel Macron to step down amid France's deepening political crisis.

On Monday, Sebastien Lecornu became the fifth French prime minister to resign under Macron in just two years, stepping down mere hours after unveiling a new cabinet.

Since taking office in 2017, Macron has seen seven of his prime ministers resign, including Edouard Philippe (July 2020), Jean Castex (April 2022), Elisabeth Borne (January 2024), Gabriel Attal (July 2024), Michel Barnier (December 2024), Francois Bayrou (September 2025). Lecornu's resignation this week is the latest; it comes amid a split in parliament over the government's efforts to pass a budget aimed at curbing the nation's rising debt.

Macron should leave after the budget is adopted and announce an early presidential election, Philippe told the French radio station RTL on Tuesday.

"I'm not for an immediate and brutal resignation ... but [the president] must take an initiative," Philippe said.

Philippe described some of Macron's choices for prime minister as "curious" and called his decision to dissolve the National Assembly in June 2024 "disastrous." The move, prompted by his coalition's defeat in the European Parliament elections, was widely seen as a gamble that backfired, producing a hung parliament and halting much of the country's legislative work.

Philippe was the longest-serving prime minister since Macron's arrival at the Elysee Palace in 2017. During his tenure, he oversaw major labor and tax reforms and managed the controversial fuel tax hike that triggered the Yellow Vests protests in late 2018. He resigned in 2020 during Macron's pre-election reshuffle, later founding his own center-right party and officially declaring his candidacy for the 2027 presidential race.

If Macron were to step down, France would be required to hold a presidential election within 20 to 35 days.

A new Elabe poll found that over 86% of respondents see the current situation as "a sad spectacle" produced by "the political class, which is not up to the task," while 51% believe the president's departure could help "unblock" the political impasse.

(RT.com)