French government faces no-confidence vote on Wednesday
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The French government faces a crisis as left-wing and far-right parties file no-confidence motions against Prime Minister Michel Barnier's budget cuts, which could force his resignation and lead to political upheaval.
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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen answers reporters at the National Assembly on December 2, 2024. (AP)
The French government is facing a crisis after left-wing and far-right parties filed no-confidence motions in response to Prime Minister Michel Barnier's decision to pass a budget-cutting package without a vote. If approved by MPs, the motions could force Barnier to resign after just two and a half months in office.
The left-wing New Popular Front and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally both condemned the use of the "49.3" constitutional clause to push through the controversial legislation, with Le Pen stating that the French public "has had enough."
On Thursday, Le Pen criticized the 2025 budget and reiterated four key demands, including the removal of an electricity tax hike and a delay in pension inflation adjustments.
She warned that if Barnier invokes Article 49.3 of the French Constitution—which allows the government to bypass parliamentary votes—the RN will back a no-confidence motion.
"If our demands are not met, we will act," Le Pen said, accusing Barnier of ignoring RN's influence as the largest group in the National Assembly.
The NFP and RN have enough support to potentially oust the French government, a move that could cause political upheaval in France ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House. In a bid to avert this, Prime Minister Barnier made last-minute concessions to the RN, including maintaining drug reimbursements for 2025.
Barnier defended his decision, emphasizing the need to reduce public debt and acknowledging the extensive compromises made during the legislative process.
He alleged that "The French will not forgive you if you support particular (political) interests above the future of the nation," detailing how "Everyone must take responsibility for their actions and I take mine."
Le Pen accused Barnier of breaking his promise to engage with opposition parties on the budget cuts, criticizing him for not respecting the RN's "red lines" and blaming Macron's incompetence for the French people's suffering. She emphasized that there are alternative solutions to the deficit, which the government ignored.
Mathilde Panot, an MP for the left-wing Unbowed France (LFI), stated on the no-confidence motion, "We can bring down Mr Barnier and this budget," denouncing the last-minute talks with the far right as "haggling" and accusing Macron of driving the country into anarchy.
If the no-confidence motion passes on Wednesday, Barnier will be obliged to quit, but he and his ministers may continue in a caretaker administration until Macron forms a new cabinet.
Last week, Barnier, the EU's former Brexit negotiator, stated that a no-confidence vote would cause a "big storm and very serious turbulence on the financial markets".
