France's government collapses after losing no-confidence vote in parliament

The French government has collapsed after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was removed from office in a no-confidence vote.

Members of Parliament (MPs) overwhelmingly supported the motion against Barnier, who had served as prime minister for just three months following his appointment by President Emmanuel Macron.

The motion was brought forward by opposition parties after Barnier controversially invoked special powers to push through his budget without parliamentary approval. This marks the first time since 1962 that a French government has fallen due to a no-confidence vote.

Background:

• The no-confidence motion comes amid political instability in France, where snap elections earlier this year left no party or coalition with a parliamentary majority.
• A total of 331 MPs voted in favor of the motion, surpassing the 288 votes required for it to pass. Both the far-right National Rally (RN) and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) tabled the motions following Barnier’s use of a presidential decree to pass reforms to social security on Monday.

Criticism of Barnier’s Leadership:

• The budget reforms, which included €60 billion in deficit reduction measures, were widely criticized by opposition parties.
• The left-wing NFP, which holds the largest number of seats in parliament, accused Macron of bypassing its preferred candidate by appointing centrist Barnier.
• The RN and NFP both argued that Barnier’s budget was unacceptable, with the cuts drawing significant backlash from across the political spectrum.

Barnier’s Response:

Ahead of the vote, Barnier defended his actions in the National Assembly, saying:

“We have reached a moment of truth, of responsibility. We need to confront the realities of our debt. It is not with pleasure that I propose these difficult measures.”

He warned that ousting him would not address the nation’s financial challenges.

Next Steps:

• Barnier is expected to remain in office as a caretaker prime minister while Macron selects his replacement.
• While the no-confidence vote does not directly impact Macron, who is elected separately as president, the fallout has intensified calls for his resignation before the end of his term in 2027.

This collapse deepens France’s ongoing political crisis and raises questions about the country’s ability to navigate its economic and social challenges under such fractured governance.