French government on the brink of collapse as PM Barnier faces no-confidence vote
2 December 2024, 18:09
The French government is on the brink of collapse after the country’s PM forced through his social security budget without the support of parliament.
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French Prime Minister Michel Barnier invoked a special constitutional tool on Monday to push through the controversial 2025 budget without a parliamentary vote.
Mr Barnier now faces a vote of no-confidence after members of the left and far right threatened to revolt.
Marine Le Pen's National Rally and the leftist France Unbowed announced they would file no-confidence motions in response, setting up a vote for as early as Wednesday that could bring down the fragile government.
"The French have had enough," hard-right populist Le Pen said.
"Maybe they thought with Michel Barnier things would get better, but they were even worse."
Mathilde Panot, of the left-wing France Unbowed party, added: "Faced with this umpteenth denial of democracy, we will censure the government...
"We are living in political chaos because of Michel Barnier's government and Emmanuel Macron's presidency."
The decision comes as France grapples with a fractured National Assembly following snap elections in June, which left no party or coalition with a majority.
President Emmanuel Macron appointed Mr Barnier in September to break the deadlock and tackle the country's ballooning deficit.
However, his austerity budget- featuring 40 billion euros in cuts and 20 billion euros in tax hikes - has been widely criticised, escalating tensions in the lower house.
The use of the tool, called Article 49.3, allows the government to pass legislation without a parliamentary vote but leaves it exposed to no-confidence motions.
Opposition leaders argue that Mr Barnier's concessions, including scrapping an electricity tax hike, do not go far enough to address their concerns.
If the no-confidence motion succeeds, Mr Macron will remain president but will need to appoint a new prime minister to steer legislation through the fractured assembly.
