Macron’s challenge is no longer just to govern; it is to reconnect—to make citizens believe once more that his policies are about their welfare
Europe is in Turmoil. Several European countries are finding going difficult and people’s protests are becoming the norm. Germany and France which are European anchors, are under duress. France is often called the laboratory of democracy, a nation where dissent is not only acceptable but welcome. But today, that spirit is turning into disillusionment. Young people have taken to the streets in protests against the government over jobs, wages, and economic inequality, echoing frustrations seen in past movements like the “yellow vests.”
President Macron’s approval ratings are at an all-time low. With just 18 months left in his tenure, the task at hand is rather difficult: meet national aspirations and run his government with confidence. President Emmanuel Macron is set to unveil a new government this weekend under recently appointed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, his seventh premier since 2017. Yet the announcement has had little impact on protests, public discontent, and a political deadlock that shows no signs of easing. The question is whether a reshuffled executive can address the growing anger in the streets and the paralysis in parliament or whether Macron’s government will simply be buying time in the face of a legitimacy crisis.
The protests are not a sudden eruption. They are rooted in years of frustration over the high cost of living, pension reforms, and the perception that Macron governs like a technocrat and ignores popular sentiment. His decision last year to have snap elections backfired. It led to parliament being split among three rival blocs: the far-right, the left-wing alliance, and Macron’s centrist camp. Instead of strengthening his mandate, Macron found himself weakened, with every policy move subjected to bruising negotiations and resistance. The appointment of Lecornu, a loyalist, reflects the president’s intent for consolidation rather than expansion.
Lecornu, rather young, brings experience as a former defence minister and has a reputation for political pragmatism. His plan to build a leaner cabinet of 20–25 ministers signals both an effort to streamline governance and a nod to fiscal restraint at a time when France’s public debt is soaring. However, this slimming of government may do little to restore public trust. The people are not demanding efficiency in numbers. They are calling for empathy in policy.
Administrative reshuffles ring hollow when households are struggling with inflation and stagnant wages. Many fear that the pursuit of debt reduction will once again fall hardest on the working and middle classes, while the political elite remain insulated. That explains why protests have spread from specific pension reforms to general anguish over rising inequality. Unless the new government makes a genuine attempt at dialogue, compromises, and undertakes social justice reforms, it might fall short of people’s expectations and the protests might grow even further, fuelled by new disillusionment.
