Macron Meets Party Leaders as Energy Price Surge Shakes Presidential Campaign

Emmanuel Macron convened France’s party leaders to address the escalating energy crisis, while Interior Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced an extension of targeted aid for affected sectors. The surge in fuel and electricity prices has become the central issue of the presidential race, prompting candidates to issue a flurry of policy announcements. Macron’s meeting signals an attempt to coordinate a unified response amid a budget that has just been finalized. The executive’s options are now constrained by the need to balance fiscal discipline with urgent support for consumers and businesses. The debate over how to manage the crisis is reshaping the campaign’s priorities and could alter the electoral calculus for all contenders.