A vote of no confidence has sealed the end of France's center-right government – after just three months. The opposition overthrew Prime Minister Barnier in a dispute over an austerity budget. Barnier submitted his government's resignation this morning.
It is the end of the Barnier government: the head of government has been overthrown. It is a historic day for France. For the first time in more than 60 years, a vote of no confidence against a head of government in the French National Assembly was successful. It became apparent three months ago that this could happen for Barnier – when he started after the new parliamentary elections in the summer.
Barnier lacked his own majority in the National Assembly. That's probably why he tried to remind MPs in the debate before the vote of no confidence what he had been concerned about in the past few months: France's financial stability – because the state now has to pay 60 billion euros in interest alone every year.
Wedged between political blocs
All French people would have to pay this interest, said Barnier. There are 60 billion that are missing from defense, for example – and which will undoubtedly be a burden for the future if nothing is done. That's the reality, he emphasized, even if people don't want to admit it – and this reality won't disappear with a vote of no confidence.
In his government, Barnier was essentially wedged between the right-wing extremist Rassemblement National with Marine Le Pen on the one hand, and the left-wing bloc, the so-called New Popular Front made up of Greens, socialists, communists and EU critics, on the other. In order to get his political plans passed through parliament as laws, Barnier needed votes from either the far right or the far left.
Failed due to austerity budget
Barnier ultimately failed in his most important project: an austerity budget for the coming year in order to reduce France's ever-increasing mountain of debt, at least in the long term. This despite trying to make concessions to Marine Le Pen and her Rassemblement.
It wasn't enough for her – instead, accompanied by loud protests from the governing parties, she asked the question of where the money that the state was spending actually went. She spoke of a paradox: the national debt was rising, even though there was less and less social security, less and less for poor people and for pensions.
Macron's resignation would play into Le Pen's hands
Le Pen himself is currently on trial for embezzling EU funds amounting to several million euros and could lose his right to stand as a candidate or receive a prison sentence if convicted. She has been working for years to one day become France's president. That would then no longer be possible – unless she succeeded before the end of the process.
An early resignation of President Emmanuel Macron would play into Le Pen's hands. However, despite the messy political situation, Macron himself has left no doubt that he wants to continue until the end of his term in office in 2027. There is great anger at the president because none other than Macron brought about this chaos – that's how the Rassemblement National sees it, and that's also how the left-wing bloc sees it.
Socialists vote with the extreme right
Boris Vallaud of the Socialists accuses Macron of having installed a government that constantly had to make concessions to the extreme right. This is now over: “This vote of no confidence will serve to restart a dialogue with all republican forces for France, with a fair budget. A way to finally govern without the extreme right – with a stable government for France,” said Vallaud.
Nevertheless, the socialists themselves, along with the extreme right, voted for the vote of no confidence. This is at least being noted carefully in France. What happens next is still unclear. What is certain is that President Macron must appoint a new head of government.
“Not much will change in politics”
Whether he takes his time or not, one thing remains unchanged: the majority in the National Assembly. The constitutional lawyer Paul Cassia from the Sorbonne University in Paris sums it up: “You will have the same situation in parliament as before – with a different head at the center. That won't change much in politics.”
Names for another head are already circulating – including, for example, that of former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve or former President Francois Hollande. However, it cannot be completely ruled out that Michel Barnier will be involved again. In any case, it will not be an easy decision for Macron. You can hear that he wants to meet her quickly.
