French Prime Minister François Bayrou loses crucial confidence vote in parliament

The French parliament yesterday ousted Prime Minister François Bayrou in a 364-194 vote, marking the second collapse of President Emmanuel Macron’s government in nine months. Macron’s minority government has struggled to build consensus on how to rein in the country’s more than $3.9T debt.

France’s budget deficit reached 5.8% of its economic output last year—nearly double the European Union’s 3% limit. Bayrou, a centrist appointed in December, proposed tackling the deficit with roughly $51B in cuts, including nixing two public holidays and nearly $6B in healthcare spending. More conservative lawmakers favor cuts to EU programs and immigrant services, while more liberal lawmakers oppose welfare cuts and back tax increases. Still, members from each side of the political spectrum joined to oust Bayrou, after snap elections last year resulted in a hung parliament. 

Macron intends to appoint his fifth prime minister since 2022 in the coming days; meanwhile, left-wing antigovernment protests are expected nationwide tomorrow. 

https://www.euronews.com/2025/09/08/french-pm-francois-bayrou-faces-government-collapse-as-confidence-vote-looms?utm_source=join1440?utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter

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