French Prime Minister Michael Barnier speaks before the no-confidence vote. Photo: AP French Prime Minister Michael Barnier speaks before the no-confidence vote. Photo: AP 
The French government collapsed following the no-confidence votemoneyplay, ousting Prime Minister Michel Barnier from office on Wednesday. This rare parliamentary action, triggered by fierce opposition to Barnier’s budget proposals, saw both far-right and left-wing lawmakers unite in a bid to force the resignation of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet.
This marks the first time since 1962 that a no-confidence motion has succeeded in the French National Assembly. The vote, which passed with 331 votes in favor, significantly surpassed the minimum required threshold of 288, marking a pivotal moment in France's political turmoil.
In his final speech before the vote, he emphasized the seriousness of the situation following the vote.“I can tell you that it will remain an honor for me to have served France and the French with dignity. This no-confidence motion… will make everything more serious and more difficult. That’s what I’m sure of,” AP quoted Barnier.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, expressed her party’s position after the vote, calling Barnier's budget “toxic.” “We had a choice to make, and our choice is to protect the French,” Le Pen said, adding that President Macron, who has insisted he will complete his term until 2027, is “largely responsible for the current situation.”
Prior to the vote, Barnier had remained optimistic that his government could survive, expressing confidence in the responsibility of MPs despite the political differences. In an interview with French TV channels, the Prime Minister stated that he is open to budget talks and believes that his government will survive the vote. “I want this and it is possible. It depends on the MPs. I think it is possible that there is this reflex of responsibility where -- beyond political differences, divergences, the normal contradictions in a democracy -- we tell ourselves that there is a higher interest,” said Barnier.
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The political instability in France has already begun to take a toll on the country's finances. With the government's budget deficit projected to rise to 7% of GDP next year without drastic adjustments, financial markets have expressed concern over the prolonged uncertainty. Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macroeconomics at ING Bank, warned that the lack of a stable government could have serious implications for France's economic growth. "The impact of France not having a government would clearly be negative for the growth of France and hence the Eurozone,” Brzeski said.
Barnier’s downfall was largely due to strong opposition to his proposed budget for 2025, which includes $60 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts. The National Assembly remains deeply fractured, with no party holding a majority.
Following the no-confidence vote, a similar situation looms again in France where the President will again have to decide who will be the Prime Minister of France.
The deeply divided French parliament is composed of three major blocs: Macron's centrist allies, the left-wing coalition New Popular Front, and the far-right National Rally. Both opposition factions, typically at odds, united to condemn Barnier’s austerity measures, accusing him of failing to address the citizens' needs.
Barnier, appointment in September comes after Macron faced a major loss in the legislative assembly elections after which France was left with a hung parliament.
Following the EU vote in June, France reported a landslide victory for Marine Le Pen's far-right party - the National Rally. Taking note of the far-right victory, the two-time president dissolved the National Assembly and called for a snap vote.
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Despite the left getting majority votes in snap elections, France saw a hung parliament as no party obtained an absolute majority, which showed a setback for Macron's Centrist Alliance. The result of the snap vote also paved the way for a coalition government in France for the first time in 22 years.
With a hung parliamentmoneyplay, it was up to Macron to choose the next prime minister, who picked Michael Barnier as his Prime Minister.