With an increasingly polarized French parliament, the French National Assembly recently convened as opposition lawmakers from both ends of the political spectrum united to oust Prime Minister Michel Barnier, the leader of the minority government.
Find out more below.
Did the French Government Collapse?
The French National Assembly passed a vote of no-confidence after 331 out of 577 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion, surpassing the 288 votes needed on Wednesday and effectively collapsing the current government.
Barnier, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron in September, is expected to resign after just three months, making him the shortest-serving prime minister in French history since 1958 and the first to be ousted since 1962.
“As this mission may soon come to an end, I can tell you that it will remain an honor for me to have served France and the French with dignity,” Barnier said shortly before the vote.
“The choice we made was to protect the French,” said Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), commenting on the decision to call the vote.
Why Did the Vote Take Place?
The vote took place over Barnier’s proposed deficit-cutting budget. His contentious 2025 budget included $63.6 billion USD (€60 billion) in tax increases and spending cuts aimed at reducing France’s deficit, which is expected to reach 6 percent of GDP this year.
What Happens Next?
Macron, who plans to serve until his term ends in 2027, will now need to select a new prime minister. This task is complicated by a divided parliament, with three blocs vying for power—none of which has a clear governing majority.
However, a snap election is not expected anytime soon, as France’s constitution prevents Macron from calling another vote before next summer. After the late June and early July snap elections, it took Macron nearly two months to appoint Barnier.
The coming weeks and months could prove politically and economically turbulent for France. Additionally, the euro is currently weakening, with 1 euro now equal to 1.06 USD. It hit its lowest value in late November, the weakest since November 2022.
