PARIS, Sept 9: France has entered another political crisis after Prime Minister François Bayrou lost a confidence vote in the National Assembly. Bayrou was defeated by 364 votes to 194, forcing him to submit his government’s resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, the BBC reported.
According to the BBC, Macron’s office confirmed this would happen “in the coming days,” leaving the president with the task of either naming a new prime minister, turning toward the Socialists for support, or dissolving parliament for fresh elections.
The BBC said Bayrou’s fall marks the prospect of France appointing its fifth prime minister in less than two years, a sign of growing instability during Macron’s second term. Bayrou’s gamble came after he made the fight against France’s mounting debt the centerpiece of his policy. He repeatedly warned that the country’s €3.4 trillion debt was an “existential threat” and unveiled a 2026 budget plan that included scrapping two national holidays and freezing pensions and welfare, aiming to save €44 billion.
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But the BBC noted that his efforts met strong resistance across the spectrum. Both the left and the far right seized the opportunity to topple him, and many deputies treated the confidence vote as a referendum not only on Bayrou but also on Macron himself. Some analysts described the move as political suicide, since Bayrou was not obliged to call the early vote.
In his address before the vote, Bayrou warned MPs that current debt levels could condemn future generations to “slavery” and declared, “Submission to debt is the same as submission to arms.” Yet according to the BBC, his warnings found little resonance either in parliament or among the public. Polls suggest that voters are far more concerned about living costs, security, and immigration than about debt management.
The BBC also reported that opposition MPs accused Bayrou of trying to cover up his and Macron’s own responsibility for the country’s current economic difficulties. Outside parliament, activist groups such as Bloquons Tout have pledged sit-ins, boycotts, and protests against government policy, while unions are planning demonstrations on September 18.
France’s debt burden is expected to worsen. Economists told the BBC that the cost of servicing debt is projected to rise from €30 billion in 2020 to more than €100 billion by 2030. This comes as Macron has promised more spending on defence, while the opposition demands repeal of the controversial pension reform that raised the retirement age to 64.
Bayrou had replaced Michel Barnier last December after Barnier also failed to win parliamentary support. The BBC said Macron might now look to a loyal figure from within his camp, with Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Labour Minister Catherine Vautrin, and Finance Minister Éric Lombard seen as possible candidates.
