Macron dissolves National Assembly, calls for snap elections in France | Here's why

After a major defeat in the election for the European Parliament, French President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the country’s National Assembly and called for a snap legislative elections.

Macron confirmed the news when he addressed the nation from the Elysee Presidential Palace on Sunday. “I’ve decided to give you back the choice of our parliamentary future through the vote. I am therefore dissolving the National Assembly,” the French leader said in his video message to the nation.

J’ai dissous ce soir l’Assemblée nationale. Une décision grave, lourde, mais avant tout un acte de confiance en vous, mes chers compatriotes. pic.twitter.com/EFeVCDzrlb

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 9, 2024

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He went on to announce that the elections will now be conducted in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. The move came shortly after projected results from France put the far-right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen well ahead in the European Union’s parliamentary election. Many, experts believe that calling a snap election attracts a massive political risk for Macron since his party could suffer more losses, which also has the potential to scar his presidential term which is scheduled to end in 2027.

During his address, Macron acknowledged the party’s defeat in the EU parliamentary elections. “I’ve heard your message, your concerns, and I won’t leave them unanswered,” he said, adding that calling a snap election only underscored his democratic credentials.

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Why did Macron dissolve the parliament?

The French president insisted that the decision was a “serious and heavy” one. He also mentioned that he could not resign himself to the fact that “far-right parties … are progressing everywhere on the continent”.

Macron called it “an act of confidence” and stated that he had in France’s voters “the capacity of the French people to make the best choice for themselves and for future generations”.

“I have confidence in our democracy, in letting the sovereign people have their say. I’ve heard your message and your concerns, and I won’t leave them unanswered," he said.

It is important to note that the French leader’s centrist coalition has already lost its parliamentary majority in the 2022 elections. Since then, the Macron administration has been pushing through the legislation with a vote on controversial bills in the assembly.

What happens next?

According to Article 12 of the French constitution, the president of the country has the power to dissolve the assemblée nationale to resolve any sort of “political crisis”.

The crisis would also include “permanent and irreconcilable differences” between the legislative and the executive wing of the parliament. As per the constitution, if a president calls for a snap election, voters must be called to the polls 20 to 40 days after the assembly is dissolved.

In the Sunday announcement, Macron said that the first round of these elections is scheduled for 30 June and the second on 7 July. One factor that needs to be considered is that the country is due to host the 2024 Olympic games at the end of July.

Not the first time

Macron was not the first president of the country to dissolve the parliament. The country’s National Assembly was dissolved in 1962, 1968, 1981 and 1988.

Interestingly, during this time the presidential term was seven years but the parliament had a five-year term. This meant that whenever the head of the state found himself facing an opposing majority in the assembly, he called for polls.

However, it does not always work in the president’s favour. In 1997, then centre-right president, Jacques Chirac, called snap legislative elections only to see the left win a majority. This left him enduring five years of political struggle.

It is important to note that no French president has dissolved parliament since then. One of the major reasons behind it was the fact that the presidential and parliamentary terms were synchronised in 2000. Voters since then gave each incoming president a parliamentary majority – until Macron was re-elected.

With inputs from agencies.