French President Emmanuel Macron dismissed calls for his resignation on Tuesday, December 3, labeling them as “political fiction” amid rising political tensions and an impending no-confidence vote in parliament.

During a visit to Saudi Arabia, Macron firmly rejected the notion, referring to such suggestions as “frankly not up to scratch.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” he told reporters. “The reason I’m here is because I was elected twice by the French people. I’m incredibly proud of that and will continue to honor this trust with all the energy I have until the very last moment to serve the country.” Macron’s current term is set to run until 2027.

His comments come as his government faces a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, December 4, which could endanger the administration of Prime Minister Michel Barnier. Both opposition figures and some members within Macron’s political circle have argued that resignation might be the only way to resolve the political impasse in France.

Macron also criticized Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) for what he termed their “unbearable cynicism” in supporting the no-confidence motion. “We must not alarm people with these things; we have a strong economy,” he said, expressing confidence that the motion would not succeed.

While political analysts foresee potential cooperation between left- and far-right factions to unseat the government, Macron remained optimistic.

“I cannot believe the no-confidence motion will pass,” he said, signaling confidence in his administration’s ability to withstand the challenge.