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A total of 331 lawmakers from both the leftwing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance and the far-right National Rally (RN) supported a no-confidence motion in the country\u2019s lower house, far exceeding the 288 votes needed to pass the motion.<\/p>\n
Motions had been tabled by both the left and rightwing blocs on Monday after Prime Minister Michel Barnier used special constitutional powers to force a social security budget bill through Parliament without a vote.<\/p>\n
National Rally had said it would vote for both its own \u201cmotion de censure\u201d against the government, as well as lending its support to the NFP\u2019s motion.<\/p>\n
Either motion needed the support of at least 288 deputies, out of 574 deputies in the National Assembly, to see the no-confidence vote succeed. Combined, the far-right bloc and leftwing alliance have roughly 333 lawmakers in Parliament, although some lawmakers had been expected to abstain from the vote.<\/p>\n
During a debate ahead of the vote, Barnier told lawmakers he was \u201cnot afraid\u201d of being voted out but called on parties to work together and to \u201cgo above the general interest\u201d to overcome divisions. He said it had \u201cbeen an honor\u201d to serve as prime minister, before receiving a standing ovation from French politicians.<\/p>\n
Losing the confidence vote means Barnier will be forced to tender his resignation to French President Emmanuel Macron just three months after he was installed as premier on Sept. 5; Barnier\u2019s administration will be the shortest-lived in France\u2019s Fifth Republic, which began in 1958.<\/p>\n
The prime minister\u2019s downfall comes after several weeks of negotiations with opposition parties to try to find agreement over just one part of the wider 2025 budget, which included 60 billion euros ($63 billion) worth of spending cuts and tax hikes seen as necessary to tame France\u2019s budget deficit which is expected to stand at 6.1% in 2024.<\/p>\n
MNA<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n