The Guardian view on political chaos in France: the gift that keeps on giving to Marine Le Pen and the far right | Editorial

"In Jean-Paul Sartre's 1944 play No Exit, hell is portrayed as a locked room in which characters are condemned to fall out and squabble for all eternity. Ever since foolishly calling a snap election which delivered a deadlocked and divided national assembly, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has found himself trapped in a modern political version of the same plot."

"On Monday morning, the third prime minister Mr Macron has appointed in just over a year became the latest to throw in the towel, after only 27 days in the job. Hours after unveiling his ministerial team, Sebastien Lecornu stood down following a backlash from centre-right allies, who objected to the number of carryovers from Francois Bayrou's previous administration. By Monday evening, Mr Macron had persuaded Mr Lecornu to conduct a round of last-ditch negotiations to try to resolve the crisis."

"Such dizzying chaos and dysfunction is bringing mainstream French politics into disrepute, at a time when Marine Le Pen's far right National Rally enjoys a substantial lead in the polls. For this ominous state of affairs, Mr Macron bears a heavy responsibility. His centrist alliance lost its outright majority in the parliamentary elections of 2022, and was then defeated by a leftwing coalition in the snap poll he called last year."

Emmanuel Macron's snap election produced a deadlocked, divided national assembly and trapped the presidency in political turmoil. The president appointed three prime ministers in just over a year; the latest, Sebastien Lecornu, resigned after 27 days amid centre-right backlash over carryovers from Francois Bayrou's previous administration. Macron persuaded Lecornu to attempt last-ditch negotiations but hinted at a second dissolution of parliament and fresh legislative elections if talks fail. The dysfunction has damaged mainstream politics while Marine Le Pen's National Rally leads polls. Macron bears heavy responsibility for persisting with austerity budgets and political pressure without a renewed mandate, even as markets target the French economy.

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