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France in crisis: Barnier falls – who will be the next prime minister?
After the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Barnier, France is facing political uncertainty and new elections. Macron has to react.
France in crisis: Barnier falls – who will be the next prime minister?
In a sensational political shock, the French government under Prime Minister Michel Barnier was overthrown by a vote of no confidence on December 5, 2024. This is the first time since 1962 that a French government has failed due to such a vote. The dispute over painful cuts in the social budget led to a vote in which a majority of 332 members of the National Assembly voted against Barnier's budget plan, according to the WSWS reported. Barnier, who was only appointed in September, holds the record for the shortest term of office for a French prime minister.
President Emmanuel Macron, who returned to vote immediately after a state visit to Saudi Arabia, now faces the urgent task of appointing a new head of government. A new election could not take place until July 2025 at the earliest, while the failed government can remain in office temporarily to manage ongoing business. With his budget proposal, Barnier tried to reduce the budget deficit from an expected six percent to five percent, but this was met with loud criticism from left and right, as the budget cuts meant that many social programs, such as the Small newspaper wrote.