french Opposition lawmakers ousted the government on Wednesday, plunging the European Union's second-largest economy deeper into a political crisis that threatens its ability to legislate and rein in a huge budget deficit.
Far-right and left-wing MPs joined forces to back a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government with a majority of 331 votes in favor of the motion.
Barnier was expected to tender his resignation and that of his government to the president Emmanuel Macron soon.
No French government has lost a vote of confidence since Georges Pompidou in 1962. This time, Macron triggered the crisis by calling snap elections in June that led to a polarized parliament.
With its president downsized, France now risks ending the year without a stable government or budget for 2025, although the constitution allows for special measures that would prevent a US-style government shutdown.
Political turmoil in France will further weaken the European Union, which is already reeling from the collapse of Germany's coalition government and weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
The left and far right chastised Barnier for choosing to use special constitutional powers to push part of an unpopular budget, which called for 60 billion euros in savings in an effort to reduce the deficit, through parliament without a final vote.
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Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said dissolving the government was “the only way the constitution gives us to protect the French from a dangerous, unjust and punitive budget”.
France now faces a period of deep political uncertainty that is already unnerving investors in French government bonds and stocks. Earlier this week, France's borrowing costs briefly surpassed those of Greece, which is generally seen as much riskier.
Now Macron has to make a choice.
Three sources told Reuters Macron aimed to appoint a new prime minister quickly, with one saying he wanted to appoint a prime minister before the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral on Saturday. Trump must attend.
Any new prime minister will face the same challenges as Barnier in passing bills, including the 2025 budget, from a divided parliament. There cannot be new parliamentary elections before July.
Macron could alternatively ask Barnier and his ministers to remain in their interim roles while he takes time to identify a prime minister capable of attracting enough cross-party support to pass legislation.
A caretaker government could either propose emergency legislation to devolve the tax-and-spend provisions in the 2024 budget. for the following year, or to invoke special powers to adopt the draft budget for 2025. by decree – although lawyers say this is a legal gray area and the political cost would be huge.
The danger for Macron is that his opponents reject one prime minister after another.
His rivals say the only meaningful way to end the protracted political crisis is for him to resign, something he has so far shown no inclination to do.
The shake-up is not without risk for Le Pen, who has spent years trying to convince voters that her party offers a stable government-in-waiting.
Barnier's entourage and Le Pen's National Unity party, which backed the minority coalition, blame each other for the crisis.
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