France's minority government looks increasingly likely to be ousted next month after three main opposition parties said they would not back a confidence vote which Prime Minister Francois Bayrou announced for 8 September over his plans for sweeping €44 billion budget cuts.
The far-right National Rally (RN), the Greens and later the Socialists, on whose vote Bayrou's fate largely lies, said they did not see how they could back him.
If he loses the confidence vote in the National Assembly, Bayrou's government will fall.
If that happens, President Emmanuel Macron could name a new prime minister immediately or ask Bayrou to stay on as head of a caretaker government, or he could call a snap election.
Macron lost his last prime minister, Michel Barnier, to a no-confidence vote over the budget in late 2024, after just three months in office following another snap election in July that year.
Bayrou acknowledged seeking the confidence of a very fragmented parliament was a risky bet but defended the budget as necessary to tackle France’s deficit, which hit 5.8% of GDP last year, nearly double the EU’s 3% limit.
"Yes, it's risky, but it's even riskier not to do anything," he told a press conference, referring to what he said was the major danger the country faced due to its huge debt pile.
Bayrou has also proposed scrapping two public holidays and freezing welfare spending and tax brackets in 2026 at 2025 levels, not adjusting them for inflation. He said his proposal to scrap the bank holidays could be tweaked.
The vote comes two days before planned nationwide protests on 10 September, supported by leftist parties and unions, echoing the 2018 Yellow Vest movement over cost-of-living pressures.
Opposition leaders framed the confidence vote as the government’s end.
“The RN will never vote in favour of a government whose decisions are making the French people suffer,” said Jordan Bardella, far-right party chief.
Even if Bayrou wins, the vote only signals parliamentary support for his approach. The actual budget vote is still pending later this year.
Bosnia’s international peace oversight body failed on Thursday to reach agreement on a successor to Germany’s Christian Schmidt, who unexpectedly ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire ...
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdra...
Artificial intelligence, digital innovation and youth engagement in environmental governance took centre stage at Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 in Samark...
Disruptions to global energy routes have transformed energy security from an economic concern into a matter of national security, Turkish President Re...
Bosnia’s international peace oversight body failed on Thursday to reach agreement on a successor to Germany’s Christian Schmidt, who unexpectedly stepped down last month, claiming he had come under pressure from the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire proposal and Israel has ruled out a troop withdrawal.
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdraw from southern Lebanon, while both sides will resume direct talks later this month aimed at reaching a broader agreement.
A series of signals from Washington, including congressional testimony, a U.S. Embassy statement and a senior diplomat's visit to Tbilisi, has given Georgia's ruling party reason to declare a diplomatic reset. But Washington's message is more nuanced than Tbilisi is suggesting.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Bosnia’s international peace oversight body failed on Thursday to reach agreement on a successor to Germany’s Christian Schmidt, who unexpectedly stepped down last month, claiming he had come under pressure from the United States.
China has criticised planned maritime boundary discussions between Japan and the Philippines, arguing that the waters involved fall within an area where Beijing claims maritime rights and jurisdiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend next month's NATO leaders' summit in Türkiye, ending weeks of uncertainty over whether he would take part in a gathering expected to focus on the future of the alliance.
All 27 European Union (EU) member countries have agreed to begin the first set of talks with Ukraine and Moldova about joining the political and economic bloc.
Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul has suggested that Berlin's strong backing of Ukraine and its close ties with Israel may have contributed to its failure to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment