PARIS – ( Monitoring Report) Emmanuel Macron’s centrist vision, once a beacon of hope, is unraveling as France faces deepening political and strategic challenges. On September 22nd and 23rd, Macron addressed the UN, emphasizing multilateralism and declaring the end of an era, earning applause but highlighting a crisis at home. Appointed on September 9th, new Prime Minister SĂ©bastien Lecornu leads the country’s fifth government in two years, a sign of unprecedented turnover.
Macron’s re-election in 2022 was marred by the loss of his parliamentary majority, leading to controversial pension reforms pushed through via decree. This sparked widespread protests and entrenched a three-way deadlock, with support shifting to the left and right. Analyst Matthieu Gallard notes the centre is “squeezed by both sides of the vice.”
Simultaneously, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a joint Franco-German military project, is on the brink of collapse. Aimed at developing a sixth-generation fighter jet and autonomous drones, the initiative has stalled since 2017. With a 2040 target, disagreements persist, as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz laments the lack of progress. France’s Dassault and Germany’s Airbus clash over leadership, with tensions heightened by NATO dynamics and industrial bickering.
As Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine underscores the need for European defense sovereignty, the FCAS project—intended to foster innovation—faces uncertainty. Polls suggest Macron’s centrists are losing ground, with the far-right National Rally and hard-left Unsubdued France gaining seats, potentially paralyzing parliament. The centre, once a unifying force, now stands isolated amidst France’s political and military turmoil.
