In Paris, Emmanuel Macron’s two-hour meeting with party leaders ended in anger as opposition figures said he plans to appoint a new prime minister Friday night, not from the political left. Greens chief Marine Tondelier said they left “dumbfounded,” with no answers. Speculation swirled from Sébastien Lecornu’s possible return to a “technical” cabinet. Macron signaled limited concessions on the 2023 reform, reportedly offering to delay the incremental rise in the retirement age by a year, which Socialists called insufficient, demanding suspension. Most allies slipped away; only Edouard Philippe told reporters, “See you soon.”

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.