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France’s far-right and far-left lawmakers united on Wednesday to vote on a no-confidence motion sparked by a budget row that is forcing Prime Minister Michel Barnier to resign.
The National Assembly approved this proposal with 331 votes. At least 288 were needed.
President Emmanuel Macron has insisted that he will serve out the remainder of his term until 2027. However, he will have to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after that In July, parliamentary elections resulted in a deeply divided parliament.
Macron had turned to Barnier in September to break the deadlock and tackle France’s growing deficit. However, Barnier’s proposed austerity budget – 40 billion euros ($42 billion) in spending cuts and 20 billion euros in tax increases – has only deepened the split, exacerbating tensions in the lower house of parliament and leading to this dramatic political confrontation.
Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Barnier on Monday invoked a rarely used constitutional mechanism to push through the controversial 2025 budget without parliamentary approval, arguing it was essential to maintain “stability” amid deep political discord.
Using a constitutional tool called Article 49(3) allows the government to pass legislation without a parliamentary vote, but leaves it vulnerable to no-confidence motions. Opposition leaders say Barnier’s concessions, including the cancellation of electricity tax hikes, do not go far enough to address their concerns. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused Barnier of ignoring her party’s demands.
“Everyone has to do their part,” she said.
The political clash has thrown financial markets into disarray, with borrowing costs soaring amid fears of prolonged instability. Barnier warned of “serious upheaval” if the budget was not passed, but critics dismissed his remarks as fear-mongering.
