France Government Collapses as PM Bayrou Loses Confidence Vote

(MENAFN) French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou suffered a significant defeat on Monday as the National Assembly voted against his budget plan aimed at saving billions in government spending. This marks the first time in the Fifth Republic’s history that a government has fallen in a confidence vote, local media reported.

The Speaker of the French National Assembly, Yael Braun-Pivet, announced the results: out of 558 valid votes, only 194 deputies supported Bayrou’s government.

Addressing lawmakers before the vote, Bayrou warned that France’s mounting debt posed a "life-threatening" risk to the nation. Official data shows that at the end of Q1 2025, France’s public debt reached 3,345.8 billion euros (about 3,914.6 billion U.S. dollars), equating to 114 percent of GDP.

Bayrou stated, "Reality will remain inexorable, spending will continue to rise, and the burden of debt, already unbearable, will grow heavier and more costly," urging immediate action. "It only requires the mobilization and moderate efforts from everyone, provided we act in time," he added.

In a pre-vote address, Marine Le Pen, former presidential candidate and leader of the far-right National Rally party, called on President Emmanuel Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call fresh elections following Bayrou’s defeat.

Following the vote, several parties expressed support for Bayrou’s ouster. Mathilde Panot, leader of the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) deputies, said, "Mr. Bayrou wanted a moment of truth. He got it."

LFI national coordinator Manuel Bompard commented, "The fall of this government is a relief for all those who would have borne the full brunt of the dramatic consequences of the Bayrou budget. Today, the popular mobilization on September 10 and the unwavering determination of La France Insoumise have already achieved a first victory."

Laurent Wauquiez, head of the right-wing The Republicans (LR) deputies, voted for the confidence motion but allowed his party members "freedom of vote."

Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure called for renewed energy and increased purchasing power for French citizens. "I want a government of the left and the ecologists, and it will then be up to Parliament to decide," he said.

In response to the vote, the Elysee Palace confirmed that Macron "acknowledged" the outcome and will meet Bayrou on Tuesday to accept his government’s resignation. A new prime minister is expected to be named in the coming days.

The political upheaval in France has raised concerns across Europe. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed hope Monday evening that a resolution to France’s crisis would be found "as soon as possible," highlighting its potential impact on the continent.

Bayrou was appointed prime minister by Macron on December 13, 2024, following the no-confidence ouster of Michel Barnier just a week earlier. He is the fourth French prime minister named by Macron in 2024. Born in 1952, Bayrou founded the centrist Democratic Movement (MoDem) in 2007 and ran for president three times—in 2002, 2007, and 2012.
(1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollars)

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