Barnier will leave office having served the shortest prime ministerial term in modern French history
France plunged into political turmoil on Wednesday as Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government fell to a no-confidence vote, marking the shortest prime ministerial tenure in the modern history of this country.
The far-right National Rally and the left-wing New Popular Front alliance united to oust Barnier after his government attempted to push through an austere budget aimed at curbing France’s soaring deficit.
MPs voted decisively to pass the no-confidence motion against Michel Barnier, just three months after he was appointed prime minister by President Emmanuel Macron.
The motion, tabled by opposition parties, came in response to Barnier’s controversial use of special powers to bypass parliamentary approval for his austerity budget. It is the first time a French government has been toppled by a no-confidence vote since 1962.
Wednesday’s vote required 288 MPs to support the motion for it to pass. In the end, 331 MPs voted in favor.
The unprecedented collapse has raised alarms over the stability of the eurozone’s second-largest economy.
Three sources told Reuters that President of France Emmanuel Macron aimed to install a new prime minister swiftly, with one saying he wanted to name a premier before a ceremony to reopen the Notre-Dame Cathedral on Saturday.
Any new prime minister would face the same challenges as Barnier in getting bills, including the 2025 budget, adopted by a divided parliament.
There can be no new parliamentary election before July.
Alternatively, Macron could ask Barnier and his ministers to stay on in a caretaker capacity while he takes time to identify a prime minister able to attract sufficient cross-party support to pass legislation.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 5th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
France will face Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals after edging past Paraguay 1-0, while the Atlas Lions booked their place with a convincing 3-0 victory over Canada, ending the co-hosts' historic run in the tournament.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Hundreds of firefighters are battling multiple wildfires across France, amid strong winds and dry conditions, as the country’s heatwave persists.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies for late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Governments are tightening restrictions on teenagers’ use of social media amid growing concerns over mental health, online safety and platform design, but questions remain over enforcement and whether bans can meaningfully change behaviour.
Juan Zapata was just finishing dinner in his fifth-floor apartment overlooking the Caribbean when the twin earthquakes struck Venezuela’s coast on the 24 June, hurling him across the room and into a collapse of concrete and steel.
U.S. President Donald Trump has offered to help find a solution to the war in Ukraine during a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin.
Wildfires are continuing to burn across southern Europe, forcing people from their homes, damaging property and stretching emergency services as high temperatures and dry conditions create ideal conditions for fast-moving fires.
For the first time in six years, Indian traders are crossing through the Lipulekh Pass in the Himalayas into Tibet to do business.
U.S. President Donald Trump addressed crowds on Washington's National Mall on Saturday night after severe weather delayed his appearance at celebrations marking the United States' 250th independence anniversary.
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