French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a televised address on Thursday night, just a day after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was removed in a no-confidence vote.
The political upheaval leaves France searching for a new leader capable of navigating a divided parliament.
Names already circulating for the role include Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, and centrist politician François Bayrou.
However, the task of appointing a replacement who can gain broad parliamentary approval may prove lengthy, as seen during the summer when former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal remained a caretaker for two months.
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Barnier, ousted after serving just three months, is likely to be asked to stay in a caretaker capacity until Macron selects his successor.
The collapse of Barnier’s government marks a historic moment, as it is the first time in over six decades that a French government has been voted down by parliament. The no-confidence motion passed with 331 votes—far exceeding the 288 required.
Barnier’s downfall was triggered by his decision to use special powers to push through an unpopular budget, bypassing a parliamentary vote.
Both Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) joined forces to censure his government.
The €60bn (£49bn) budget, which prioritized deficit reduction, was deemed “toxic for the French” by Le Pen, while the NFP criticized Macron’s initial decision to appoint Barnier, a centrist, over their candidate.
The vote automatically nullifies the budget, and Barnier is constitutionally required to submit his government’s resignation.
As president, Macron is not directly affected by Barnier’s removal, but calls for him to step down are growing louder. While Macron has dismissed the idea of early presidential elections, opposition leaders are increasingly vocal about their desire to force his resignation.
Marine Le Pen told French broadcaster TF1, “I am not asking for the resignation of Emmanuel Macron,” but her allies have been less restrained.
RN adviser Philippe Olivier described Macron as “a fallen republican monarch… advancing with a rope around his neck.”
France’s current parliamentary gridlock, with no single faction holding a majority, is set to persist until new elections can be held in July.
Until then, Macron faces the daunting challenge of forming a government that can navigate a divided Assembly.
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