French President Emmanuel Macron rejects calls for him to resign

French President Emmanuel Macron dismissed calls for his resignation on Tuesday, December 3, describing them as “political fiction” amid mounting political tensions and an upcoming no-confidence vote in parliament. 

Speaking during a visit to Saudi Arabia, Macron rejected the idea outright, calling such suggestions “frankly not up to scratch.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” he told reporters. “It so happens that if I am before you, it is because I was elected twice by the French people. I am extremely proud of this and I will honour this trust with all the energy that is mine until the last second to be useful to the country.” Macron’s current term runs until 2027.

The French leader’s comments come as his government faces a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, December 4, threatening the administration of Prime Minister Michel Barnier. Opposition figures and even some voices within Macron’s broader political sphere have suggested that stepping down might be the only viable solution to France’s political stalemate.

Macron took aim at Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) for what he called “unbearable cynicism” in backing the no-confidence motion. “We must not scare people with these things; we have a strong economy,” he insisted, expressing optimism that the motion would fail.

While political analysts anticipate an alliance between the left and far-right factions in an attempt to unseat the government, Macron voiced his confidence. “I cannot believe that the no-confidence motion will be passed against the government,” he said, signaling hope for his administration’s survival.