French President Emmanuel Macron apologised on Tuesday in his New Year’s address for his decision to dissolve parliament and hold early elections.
He acknowledged that his decision had led to “division” and “instability,” and urged politicians to “unite their efforts” in response to the political crisis.
Macron’s decision to call early elections followed poor results by his party in the European elections. He believed parliamentary elections were necessary for clarity, but ultimately, he lost his parliamentary majority. It took months to establish a minority government, and the 2025 budget was not approved on time.
The speech, which lasted only eleven minutes, was the shortest of Macron’s presidency.
He highlighted positive achievements such as the successful Olympic Games and the reopening of the Notre-Dame Basilica in Paris.
However, the severe political crisis in France, which Macron now takes responsibility for, cast a shadow over these accomplishments.
The Frech President called on political factions to unite, emphasising that “2025 must be a year of action.”
He also urged Europeans to “stop being naive” about trade and agriculture.
Further, President Macron advocated rejecting externally imposed laws and dependencies that do not prepare for the future or offer compensation.
