Fifth Republic’s Fourth‑style Instability

The article contends France’s semi‑presidential system no longer works as intended: after Macron’s snap election produced a hung Assembly, Prime Minister François Bayrou tied a budget to a confidence vote and fell, echoing the rapid‑turnover governments of the Fourth Republic. A presidency designed to dominate parliament is now constrained by fragmented parties and fragile coalitions, turning routine budgets into regime‑level tests. — If a flagship semi‑presidential model is reverting to short‑lived coalitions, it raises urgent questions about electoral systems, executive–legislative balance, and whether constitutional reform is needed in advanced democracies facing party fragmentation.