Macron struggles to pick successor; Bayrou submits resignation

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 13:44

France braces for fresh political upheaval after Bayrou lost confidence, as Macron struggles to unite parliament and contain growing street protests.

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France's President Emmanuel Macron, right, and outgoing Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces Thierry Burkhard, left, review troops during a farewell ceremony to Burkhard, in the courtyard of the Invalides, in Paris, France, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025 (AP, Pool)

French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to appoint his fifth prime minister in less than two years after opposition parties united to topple center-right Prime Minister Francois Bayrou over his unpopular austerity-driven budget plans.

In a related development, Bayrou arrived at the Elysee Palace and handed n his resignation to Macron, following his defeat in a National Assembly confidence vote the previous day, France 24 reported.

Bayrou lost a parliamentary confidence vote by 364 to 194 and will formally submit his resignation to Macron on Tuesday. The next prime minister will inherit the daunting challenge of trying to unify parliament and secure approval for next year’s budget. France faces mounting pressure to bring down a deficit nearly twice the EU’s 3% ceiling and a debt burden equal to 114% of GDP.

Among those floated as possible successors is Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, though Macron could also turn to a centre-left figure or even a technocrat.

The presidency noted there are no formal rules on how quickly or from which political camp the appointment must come, adding Macron, 47, will announce his choice “in the next few days.”

The Socialists were quick to stake their claim. “I would like it to be the left, the greens. We need to claim power,” Socialist Party chief Olivier Faure told France Inter radio.

The far-right National Rally reiterated demands for a snap election, something Macron has resisted. Dissolving parliament “is the only way, the best way, to get out of a political crisis,” party leader Marine Le Pen told reporters. Macron’s decision to call early elections last year only produced a more fragmented parliament.

Markets showed little immediate reaction on Tuesday, with Bayrou’s ouster already priced in. Attention now turns to Friday, when Fitch is due to announce its decision on France’s sovereign rating.

'Let’s block everything'

French businesses voiced concerns over the instability. “The fall of the government adds to months of political instability that have already undermined economic confidence,” said Maya Noel of the tech lobby France Digitale. “In the innovation sector, this instability has an immediate cost: it slows down investment and hiring.”

Meanwhile, a wave of protests branded “Let’s Block Everything” is set for Wednesday, spreading rapidly on social media in echoes of the “Yellow Jacket” demonstrations of 2018–2019. Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told BFM TV that 80,000 officers would be deployed nationwide, with fears of roadblocks, train station disruptions, and potential violence.

For some demonstrators, the aim goes beyond Bayrou’s removal. “Now that the change of the prime minister is a done deal, they need to get rid of what’s higher up … that’s a message for Macron,” said Alain Petit, 61, who attended a “farewell drink” for Bayrou in Clermont-Ferrand on Monday.

Similar farewell gatherings were held outside city halls across France, as protesters prepared for Wednesday’s mobilization. Labour unions have also called for a nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations on September 18.