Part 5/13:
In this deadlock, Macron's administration has resorted to an increasingly controversial tool: Article 49.3. This provision allows the government to circumvent parliamentary votes on certain pieces of legislation, enabling it to enforce laws unless a no-confidence motion is raised. This move has been met with widespread public disdain, as over 70% of the population perceives the use of Article 49.3 as fundamentally anti-democratic. By December 2023, this article had been invoked over 23 times for essential legislation, leading to perceptions of a presidency with near-royal powers, an idea thoroughly rejected by the populace.