France plunged into a major political crisis after a no-confidence motion to bring down the government ousted the country’s Prime Minister Michel Barnier. The minority coalition led by the right-wing prime minister was toppled in just three months after a no-confidence motion was pushed by an alliance of left-wing parties supported by MPs from Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration, far-right, National Rally.
In the voting process, which took place on Wednesday, a total of 331 lawmakers decided to bring down the government, indicating a clear majority. With this, Barnier is slated to resign as the French Prime Minister on Thursday. Ahead of the Wednesday voting, the premier warned that France would be “plunged into the unknown,” if his government is toppled.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said that the leader will deliver a televised address to the nation on Thursday. The toppling of the government has left Macron facing the worst political crisis of his two terms as the country’s president. There is also uncertainty over how a 2025 budget can be decided as the European nation faces a growing public deficit.
France witnessed a historic political crisis and a major dilemma
The Wednesday voting is significant because it was France’s first successful no-confidence vote since a defeat for Georges Pompidou’s government in 1962 when Charles de Gaulle was president. Not only this, but the brief tenure of Barnier’s government has also become the shortest of any administration of France’s Fifth Republic, which began in 1958.
Macron is now left with a major political dilemma since no new parliamentary elections can be called in the country before July 2025. This leaves the French leader with a narrow option to pick another PM from a deeply divided national assembly. It is important to note that Macron’s term as president will be ending in spring 2027. Before that, he is not obliged to step down.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/france-plunges-into-a-political-crisis-after-pm-michel-barniers-govt-loses-no-confidence-vote-13841755.html.
