Macron's crash: Another heavy political blow to the French President
One of the president's most important flagship initiatives was blocked by the Constitutional Council. The Council determined that the bill to prevent access to social networks for those under 15 cannot be implemented. This move joins a long list of the president's political failures.
The initiative to restrict children's access to social networks has failed legally. The Constitutional Council of France determined that it disproportionately violates the fundamental rights of minors. This proposal was one of the most important political flagship initiatives of President Emmanuel Macron, who remains determined to draft a new version of the law to influence his legacy and the country's political future.
The Constitutional Council, the body that examines the constitutionality of legislation, ruled that the restrictions in the law infringe upon the freedom of expression and communication of minors. Furthermore, it was determined that the law lacked sufficient legal safeguards regarding privacy and the mechanisms for age verification. The law was intended to take effect next month, making France the first European country to impose such a ban. However, the Council found that the law created an overly broad ban that failed to distinguish between the risks of different platforms and the varying levels of vulnerability among children and adolescents.
Despite the ruling, Macron has instructed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to prepare a revised version that meets legal requirements, with the goal of reintroducing the bill by the spring of 2027. This blow comes at a time when the president is already grappling with a series of political failures.
A complicated gamble
One of the biggest failures of the current term was Macron's decision to dissolve the National Assembly in June 2024 following the far-right's gains in the European Parliament elections. Macron hoped that early elections would provide him with a clearer political base, but in practice, the result was a parliament split into three main blocs without a clear majority, leading to a prolonged period of instability.
A series of fallen governments
Political crisis has manifested in the instability of appointed cabinets. The government of Michel Barnier, appointed in September 2024, lasted only about three months before falling after a no-confidence vote. His successor, François Bayrou, also failed to stabilize the situation and was forced to leave office in September 2025 following a similar vote in the National Assembly.
Budget crisis and pension reform
Alongside political instability, Macron is dealing with severe economic problems: France's deficit and national debt. Attempts to promote austerity measures have triggered conflicts over the budget, which contributed to the collapse of his governments. Furthermore, the pension reform, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64, has become a heavy personal burden for the president. Although the law was passed using Article 49.3 of the Constitution, it sparked intense criticism and was eventually frozen by Prime Minister Lecornu to ease political tensions.
The rise of the far-right
One of Macron's primary goals was to prevent the far-right from becoming the ruling force in France, yet Marine Le Pen's National Rally party remains a central player in French politics. Over the last two years, Macron has become a president with historically low support ratings. He has repeatedly rejected calls for his resignation and is determined to prepare the ground for a successor from his party ahead of the presidential elections in April.
