After only three months in power, Prime Minister Michel Barnier is ousted by the French National Assembly.
After only three months in power, French parliamentarians decided to overthrow Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s administration, a historic decision that further descended into political turmoil.
The lower house of the National Assembly overthrew the current administration on Wednesday for the first time in more than 60 years by passing a resolution of no-confidence that was put forth by the hard left but, importantly, supported by Marine Le Pen’s far-right.
Following hasty parliamentary elections this summer that left no party with an overwhelming majority and the far-right holding the key to the government’s survival, Barnier was swiftly removed from office.
With more than two years of his presidency remaining, President Emmanuel Macron now has the difficult task of selecting a suitable successor.
In a stalemate over the austerity budget for next year, the prime minister pushed through a social security finance measure without a vote on Monday, prompting the National Assembly to consider a motion submitted by the hard left.
The administration was overthrown by a majority of 331 MPs in the 577-member assembly, with the far-right’s backing.
The session was adjourned by Speaker Yael Braun-Pivet, who announced that Barnier would now need to “submit his resignation” to Macron.
After concluding his three-day state visit to Saudi Arabia, which seemed to be a world away from the domestic problems, Macron returned to Paris just before the vote.
He marveled at historic sites while taking a trip earlier Wednesday across the desert sands of the Al-Ula oasis, a popular tourist destination in the kingdom. He went straight to the Elysee Palace after landing.
Macron attacked Le Pen’s far-right with “unbearable cynicism” on Tuesday for supporting the motion.
Macron’s options are limited because no new elections may be held within a year of the vote from last summer.
A no-confidence vote that will “plunge the country into instability” was blamed on the hard-left and far-right, according to Laurent Wauquiez, the president of the right-wing parliamentary deputies.
“His failure”
To end the deadlock, some have proposed that Macron step down.
However, Macron dismissed those appeals, claiming that the scenario was “political fiction” instead.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Macron said, “It’s honestly not up to scratch to say these things.”
The motion against Barnier was described as the “death knell of Emmanuel Macron’s mandate” by hard-left MP Eric Coquerel.
There is an increasing sense of panic as markets are tense and France is preparing for strikes in the public sector due to the possibility of cuts that could close schools and affect rail and aviation travel.
Due to several cost-cutting measures that their individual ministries have suggested this fall, the unions have asked for government servants, including as teachers and air traffic controllers, to go on strike on Thursday.
The reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral following the 2019 fire is scheduled for Saturday, and Macron is expected to hold a significant international event. Donald Trump, who is traveling abroad for the first time since winning the US presidential election, will be among the visitors.
The front-page headline of the left-wing daily Liberation read, “His failure,” and featured a photo of Macron, whose term ends in 2027.
