French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has been removed from his position by the National Assembly through a no-confidence vote.
France’s government has collapsed following Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s defeat in a key parliamentary confidence vote held on Monday. This marks Bayrou as the second successive prime minister under President Emmanuel Macron to be removed, plunging the country into political and economic uncertainty.
For a no-confidence motion to succeed in the National Assembly, a minimum of 288 votes is necessary. The motion on Monday secured 364 votes, as the left-wing New Popular Front and the right-wing National Rally joined forces against the government, concluding a prolonged disagreement concerning Bayrou’s proposed austerity budget.
Despite successfully fending off eight previous no-confidence motions, Bayrou initiated this particular vote himself. His aim was to garner support for measures projected to achieve nearly €44 billion ($52 billion) in savings, intended to alleviate France’s financial strain before the budget’s October presentation.
The prime minister, who had consistently cautioned that France’s national debt represented a “mortal danger” for the nation, seemed to accept his inevitable downfall. In a sharp comment made on Sunday, Bayrou criticized opposing parties, stating they “hate each other” yet collaborated “to bring down the government.”
Bayrou’s removal follows that of Michel Barnier last December, who served for only three months. This makes Bayrou the second consecutive French prime minister to be unseated, and the sixth overall to hold the position under President Macron since his initial election in 2017.
Reports indicate that Bayrou’s departure forces the French president to select between two difficult paths: either appointing a Socialist prime minister to guide a budget through parliament, which would effectively mean relinquishing oversight of domestic affairs, or initiating snap elections, which current polls suggest would benefit Marine Le Pen’s National Rally. Given Macron’s approval ratings are already at unprecedented lows, both options threaten to further diminish his presidency. Experts caution that a loss of market trust in France’s capacity to manage its deficit and escalating debt could lead to instability mirroring the United Kingdom during Liz Truss’s short time as prime minister.
Public dissatisfaction with Macron’s leadership has intensified, as a recent Le Figaro survey reveals almost 80% of French citizens no longer have confidence in the president. Over the weekend, thousands protested in Paris, calling for Macron’s resignation and displaying signs with slogans such as ‘Let’s stop Macron’ and ‘Frexit.’