The results of a survey carried out by Oxoda show that nearly two-thirds of the French electorate (59%) now want Emmanual Macron to resign.
A historic no-confidence vote that saw the collapse of Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Wednesday has galvanised Macron’s critics, with his political opponents also describing his resignation as the only way to restore “stability” to France.
The French constitution does not necessitate the resignation of a President after his government dissolves and Mr Macron has told reporters that he will “fulfil the mandate” of serving until 2027.
The President will, however, need to find a suitable replacement for Mr Barnier – something made more difficult by growing unhappiness on both the left and right of the political spectrum.
The vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, which passed by 331 votes in the National Assembly, forcing him to step down after just three months in post, was precipitated by his austerity proposals – including £33 billion (€40 billion) in spending cuts and £16.5 billion (€20 billion) in tax increases to tackle the country’s rising deficit.
The National Assembly is currently divided into three blocs: Macron’s centrist allies; the left-wing coalition New Popular Front; and Mariane Le Pen’s far-right National Rally.
While Le Pen has not called for the President’s resignation, she has warned that the “pressure” against him will only become “stronger and stronger”.
It also comes amid growing pressure on France from the EU to reduce its over £2.6 trillion (€3.2 trillion) debt.
Nicholas Bay, a member of the right wing party Identity Liberates, is among the chorus calling on Macron to stand down.
He told Express.co.uk that the President is “at the root of the situation of institutional instability in which France finds itself today”, describing the dissolution of the National Assembly and call for early parliamentary elections in June as a “catastrophic decision”.
“Macron’s strategy remains a mystery; his own camp struggles to understand it and no longer trusts him,” Mr Bay said.
“He therefore finds himself deprived of legitimacy because he has been disavowed, by his own doing, twice in a row at the ballot box, in the European elections and in these snap legislative elections.”
Mr Macron is expected to make a speech at 8pm local time addressing the economic challenges heightened by the increased political instability of this week.
