French Government Collapses After Bayrou Ousted
France has been thrown into political turmoil once again after Prime Minister François Bayrou was forced out of office in a dramatic confidence vote. After only nine months in the job, Bayrou saw his minority government collapse when just 194 deputies stood behind him, while 364 voted against. With those numbers, his fate was sealed, and his resignation will be handed to President Emmanuel Macron.
This marks yet another crisis for Macron, who is now tasked with naming his third prime minister in less than a year—and the fifth since he began his second term in 2022. The French presidency has already confirmed that a replacement will be announced “in the coming days,” but the options look far from simple.
Bayrou had staked his future on pushing through a tough austerity plan aimed at cutting €44 billion from the budget to reduce France’s soaring debt, which now stands at more than 114% of GDP. In a final plea before parliament, he warned that the nation was sinking into what he called an “inexorable swamp of debt.” He argued that unless some compromise was reached, the government’s work would be destined to fail. But lawmakers from across the political spectrum were unconvinced.
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Opposition leaders lined up to denounce him. On the far left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon called the defeat “crushing” and insisted that Macron himself should step aside. On the far right, Marine Le Pen mocked Bayrou’s downfall as “the end of the agony of a phantom government,” while demanding fresh parliamentary elections. Even some centrists, usually close to Bayrou, turned against him—an unmistakable sign of his declining influence and popularity.
Beyond the political wrangling, this crisis comes at a volatile moment for France. Strikes and protests are already being planned under a movement called “Block Everything,” which threatens to disrupt roads, schools, and businesses. Public sector unions are preparing to join in, raising fears of widespread unrest.
Macron, whose authority remains intact as head of state, faces a brutal dilemma. He could try to appoint another centrist or conservative to steady the ship, or he could reach across to the left, which controls the largest bloc in parliament. But any choice risks repeating the same cycle: a prime minister appointed, a divided parliament resisting, and another collapse.
Financial markets are also watching nervously, demanding clarity and decisive action. Analysts warn that France needs a leader who can push through a workable budget, or the political paralysis could deepen further.
For Bayrou, the fall is personal as well as political. He was already damaged by public anger over his austerity program and criticism of how he handled past abuse scandals during his time as education minister. His defeat in parliament only confirmed his position as one of the least popular prime ministers in modern French history.
As Macron looks ahead, one thing is clear: the French presidency may have survived the vote, but the government has not. What comes next will determine whether France can find stability—or slide further into crisis.
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