A weakened Republic
France is today going through one of the most serious crises of the Fifth Republic.
Weakened institutions, social fractures, political divisions: so many signals which show that
national cohesion is faltering.
As Khaled Hamadé, President of the IIEG, points out:
“We are witnessing a progressive disintegration of State authority which could lead to irreversible consequences for the stability of our Republic. »
Reasons of State, designed to transcend partisan divisions, today seem to be stifled by electoral calculations and personal ambitions.
Political fragmentation: chronic instability
For a decade, the left-right divide has given way to a
lasting tripolarization:
- A social and ecological left,
- A pro-European liberal center,
- A sovereignist and identity right.
This configuration now prevents any stable majority. Since 2017, and especially after the legislative elections of 2024, France has experienced
impossible governability: repeated dissolutions, ephemeral governments, motions of censure.
As political scientist Pascal Perrineau observed, the year 2024 will remain that of “permanent instability”, with four governments in one year.
A weakened and isolated state
The crisis is also
economic.
Public debt reaches
113% of GDP, and the deficit amounts to
5.8% in 2024. These figures drastically reduce budgetary room for maneuver, compromising the State's ability to invest in the future.
The crisis is also
diplomatic. France, long a promoter of strategic autonomy, seems increasingly aligned with Washington.
This orientation has contributed to
isolating Paris, particularly in the face of Russia, and to weakening its traditional role as a balancing power in Europe.
A society under tension
The French are bearing the brunt of the rising cost of living and the
housing crisis, with more than two million unsatisfied requests.
The
CEVIPOF barometer confirms citizen distrust: only 27% trust the Prime Minister and barely 16% the President of the Republic.
At the same time, debates on immigration and communitarianism exacerbate the feeling of
cultural and identity insecurity, accentuating social fractures.
French society is
exhausted and no longer believes in political promises.
The specter of institutional collapse
The concentration of power in the hands of the President, described as
hyperpresidentialism, now weakens the system that it was supposed to protect.
The dissolution of the National Assembly, presented as a solution, risks on the contrary accentuating instability.
More and more voices are being raised to demand a
in-depth reform of institutions, or even a Sixth Republic.
For a national surge
Faced with these dangers, answers exist.
- A temporary government of national unity to restore the primacy of the State.
- A reform of the voting method incorporating a dose of proportionalism to promote stable coalitions.
- A reaffirmed diplomatic independence, by redefining France's place within NATO and by dialoguing with all the powers.
- A social emergency plan, including housing and purchasing power.
- States General of the Republic, to give citizens the opportunity to rethink the institutional framework.
These measures would aim to rebuild trust between those who govern and those who are governed, and to reaffirm the continuity of the State, a condition of any stable democracy.
Conclusion: a “certain idea of France” to be reinvented
France is not condemned. But it finds itself at a
historical turning point.
Two paths are available to it: reconnect with the republican spirit, or sink into a spiral of distrust and disorder.
General de Gaulle spoke of “a certain idea of France”. This idea, which transcends particular interests, must once again become the driving force of our collective future.
Rediscovering the meaning of public service, revaluing political function as a moral duty, and restoring the voice of the State are all conditions for lasting recovery.
The Republic will not save itself by speeches, but by a lucid rebuilding of its social and institutional contract.
More than ever,
national resurgence appears to be a vital necessity to preserve democracy, sovereignty and the unity of the country.
