byAnja Czymmeck, Max Willem Fricke, Nele Katharina Wissmann
A challenging year in the shadow of the presidential elections
France looks back on a year 2025 that was marked by political instability with a change of government, increasing social polarisation and growing dissatisfaction among the population. The year 2026 also promises to be hardly any more stable. In addition to the difficult budgetary situation, local and senate elections are coming up, and the 2027 presidential election is already casting its shadow. In this environment, the current government of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu must navigate wisely, avoid an impending vote of no confidence and initiate crucial reforms for the country. This domestic political instability contrasts with the image that President Macron wants to convey of France on the international stage: a strong France that is committed to Europe and wants to strengthen its role in the world. So where does France really stand at the beginning of 2026, and can those in charge steer the country back into calmer waters?
