Berlin ¨C Following his party¡¯s decisive loss to the far-right National Rally in the recent European parliamentary election, French President Emmanuel Macron shocked everyone by dissolving the National Assembly and calling a snap election. He justified his decision by claiming that an election would ¡°clarify¡± the political situation, but many of his compatriots did not share this view.
Even those who do not fear that Macron¡¯s gamble will bring the far right fully to power are anxious about the chaos that might ensue. As Edouard Philippe, Macron¡¯s prime minister from 2017 to 2020, put it, the president has needlessly ¡°killed the presidential majority.¡± A hung parliament with National Rally as the largest party is now the most likely outcome after the first round of voting on Sunday.
Still, Macron¡¯s decision has clarified one thing: His strategy to create a powerful centrism in France has failed. Other European leaders should take note.
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