French Prime Minister François Bayrou’s Government Collapses After Confidence Vote
In a dramatic turn of events, French Prime Minister François Bayrou and his minority government have collapsed following a crucial confidence vote in parliament on Monday.
With 364 lawmakers voting against Bayrou, 194 in favor, and 15 abstentions out of the 573 members in the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament, Bayrou faced the first prime ministerial removal in modern France’s history through a confidence vote rather than a no-confidence vote.
Sources from the government revealed that Bayrou will submit his resignation on Tuesday, making way for a new prime minister to be appointed in the coming days, as confirmed by the Élysée Palace.
Bayrou, who took office less than a year ago after the ousting of former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, called for the unprecedented confidence vote over his controversial 2026 budget plan, a gamble that ultimately led to his downfall.
President Emmanuel Macron now finds himself in the hunt for the fifth prime minister since his second term began in 2022, tasked with finding a leader capable of navigating France’s fragmented parliament.
Amidst the political turmoil, Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), called for the resignation of President Macron, suggesting that new elections should be held to allow the country to make a choice.
Despite the growing calls for new elections, President Macron has expressed reluctance towards the idea, opting to explore other options first.
As public frustration mounts, grassroots groups have planned nationwide strikes for Wednesday, with major trade unions gearing up for strikes and protests on 18 September in opposition to the impending budget cuts.
The core of the conflict lies in France’s precarious public finances, with last year’s deficit exceeding the EU’s 3% ceiling at 5.8% of GDP and national debt surpassing €3.3 trillion, equivalent to 114% of economic output.
Bayrou has defended the necessity of drastic cuts, proposing a €44 billion reduction in spending by 2026, including the elimination of two public holidays, citing the urgent need to address the country’s financial stability amidst a series of challenges since 2020.
“Our vital prognosis is at stake. France has not had a balanced budget in 51 years,” warned Bayrou during his opening speech, highlighting the myriad crises from the pandemic to global conflicts and economic pressures. — Euronews
