French lawmakers on Monday voted to remove Prime Minister François Bayrou, plunging the country into a fresh political crisis amid rising economic pressures and growing geopolitical tensions.
A total of 364 MPs voted against Bayrou, well above the 280-vote threshold required to topple the government, while 194 supported him.
The no-confidence vote followed Bayrou’s attempt to push through an unpopular €44 billion ($51 billion) savings plan, which included the scrapping of two public holidays and a freeze on government spending.
Bayrou, who has been in office for just nine months, joins his predecessor Michel Barnier, who also fell to a no-confidence vote last December.
Ahead of the vote, Bayrou addressed lawmakers: “You have the power to bring down the government, but you do not have the power to erase reality… expenses will continue to rise, and the burden of debt… will grow heavier and more costly.” He added, “We broke the social contract” with younger generations.
The political upheaval comes in the wake of President Emmanuel Macron’s snap election last year, which saw his party lose seats to both the far-right National Rally and the far-left, leaving a splintered parliament and hampering centrist governance.
Investors have reacted nervously, with yields on French government bonds climbing above those of Spain, Portugal, and Greece, raising concerns about a potential sovereign debt downgrade later this week.
Bayrou is expected to submit his resignation to Macron on Tuesday, who will then name a new prime minister. Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin are considered frontrunners, though any appointment faces immediate opposition from both left and right factions.
