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news analysis
The president, thwarted at home, has become increasingly frustrated and weakened at a critical moment for his country and Europe.
Sept. 9, 2025, 9:05 a.m. ET
President Emmanuel Macron of France took his sweet time after the snap parliamentary election last year and waited almost two months to name a prime minister, Michel Barnier, who lasted just three months. He then waited a week to name François Bayrou, whose government collapsed on Monday after nine months. Now he says he will decide on the next prime minister within “a few days.”
This apparent show of resolve is in keeping with late Macron, a leader now in office for more than eight years, with about 18 months left in his presidency. His sometimes brusque determination has intensified as his impatience with domestic politics has grown and his unpopularity has risen. His favorite phrase of late has been: “To be free in this world, you have to be feared. To be feared, you have to be powerful.”
This somber assessment of a devoted European, a passionate believer in the rule of law and the peace magnet of European integration, reflects Mr. Macron’s dismay at the world of strongmen — from Washington to Beijing by way of Moscow — that has hardened during his presidency.
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His frustration at a fragmented international sphere of bullies has made for a restive president. He recently called President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia an “ogre,” drawing a furious response from Moscow. Mr. Macron and Mr. Putin were once close enough to be in regular contact.
His isolation on an equally fragmented domestic front has also made for a weaker president at an especially critical moment for a democratic France and Europe, as they try to stand up to a global authoritarian drift.
