French lawmakers passed a no-confidence vote against the government on Wednesday, plunging the European Union’s second-largest economy into a deepening crisis that jeopardizes its ability to govern and address a significant budget deficit.
Far-right and left-wing lawmakers united to support the motion against Prime Minister Michel Barnier, with 331 votes in favor.
As a result, Barnier must submit his resignation, along with that of his government, to President Emmanuel Macron.
French media reports indicate he is expected to do so on Thursday morning, marking the end of his administration’s brief three-month tenure, the shortest in the history of France’s Fifth Republic, established in 1958.
The vote was triggered by Barnier’s use of special constitutional powers to push through a controversial budget without securing a final parliamentary vote, as his government lacked majority support.
The budget aimed to save 60 billion euros in an effort to reduce France’s ballooning deficit.
Ahead of the vote, Barnier addressed lawmakers, warning, “This (deficit) reality will not disappear by the magic of a motion of censure.”
No French government had lost a confidence vote since 1962, when Georges Pompidou’s administration fell.
The political crisis was exacerbated by Macron’s decision to call a snap election in June, resulting in a deeply polarised parliament.
France now faces the prospect of ending the year without a stable government or a finalised 2025 budget.
However, constitutional provisions allow for measures to prevent a U.S. style government shutdown.
The crisis in France adds to the European Union’s challenges, already strained by the collapse of Germany’s coalition government, and it comes just weeks before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Outgoing Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu cautioned that the instability could affect France’s support for Ukraine.
The far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party called for Macron’s resignation, while far-right leader Marine Le Pen, long positioning her National Rally party as a viable alternative, welcomed Barnier’s downfall.
“I’m not pushing for Macron’s resignation,” she said. “The pressure on the president will get greater and greater. Only he will make that decision.”
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