The crisis engulfing Emmanuel Macron contains a warning for Keir Starmer | Rafael Behr

Emmanuel Macron's presidency is engulfed in a crisis stemming from his decision to dissolve the National Assembly after his party's poor performance in European elections. He gambled that new elections would unite moderate French voters against the far-right National Rally (RN), but instead, millions mobilized against him, resulting in a political paralysis where no party secured a majority. Macron's attempts to form governments have been met with defiance of parliamentary will, leading to ongoing instability, protests, and demands for his resignation. This situation mirrors the rolling Brexit crisis in the UK, which ultimately led to Boris Johnson securing a mandate. The article draws a parallel between Macron's predicament and a potential warning for Keir Starmer. Both leaders are portrayed as champions of pragmatic, liberal democratic politics who came to power with relatively little experience and may have neglected to cultivate necessary alliances. While their personal relationship is said to be warm, their political styles differ, with Macron being more eloquent and prone to abstract analysis, while Starmer is more understated. Despite potential for cooperation, structural limits and Starmer's lack of a clear vision for Britain's future relationship with Europe hinder a stronger Franco-British partnership. Macron's domestic struggles have left him politically weakened and unlikely to leave a lasting legacy for a successor, as the fa... download the app to read more