France Government Collapse: No-Confidence Motion Ousts French PM Michel Barnier

After only three months in power, French parliamentarians voted on December 4 to overthrow Prime Minister Michel Barnier's cabinet. This is being considered as a historic decision that further plunged the country into political turmoil.

For the first time in over 60 years, the lower house of the National Assembly overthrew the current administration. This happened through a no-confidence resolution proposed by the hard left and significantly backed by Marine Le Pen's far-right.

No-Confidence Motion Against the French Government 

The National Assembly debated a no-confidence motion from the hard left, sparked by a standoff over next year's austerity budget after the prime minister bypassed a vote on a social security financing bill on Monday.

With backing from the far-right, 331 MPs out of 577 voted to remove the government.

Speaker Yael Braun-Pivet announced that Michel Barnier would need to resign and adjourned the session.

Why Was the French Government Overthrown?

Michel Barnier's removal from office comes shortly after summer snap elections that left the parliament divided, with no party holding a majority and the far-right controlling the government's fate.

Barnier's main challenge, which led to his downfall, was approving the 2025 budget. He planned to address France's deficit with €60 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts. However, after weeks of disagreement over the budget, Barnier used Article 49.3 of the constitution on Monday to pass a social security financing bill without a parliamentary vote. This move triggered no-confidence motions from both the left alliance and the far right.

What Will Happen Now?

President Emmanuel Macron now faces the tough task of choosing a suitable replacement, with more than two years remaining in his term.

President Emmanuel Macron returned to Paris just before the vote, cutting short his three-day state visit to Saudi Arabia, highlighting the contrast between international diplomacy and the crisis at home. 

On Tuesday, Macron criticized Marine Le Pen's far-right for showing "unbearable cynicism" by supporting the no-confidence motion.  

Since new elections cannot be held within a year of last summer's vote, Macron's choices are now limited.