France: the far right ready to bring down the government

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In France, the leader of the far right Marine Le Pen affirmed on X this Tuesday her intention to vote to censure the law on the social security budget defended by Michel Barnier, in order to “protect the French” of a measure that it considers “dangerous, unjust and punitive”.

Michel Barnier fails to rally the RN to his cause

This Monday, the French Prime Minister invoked a constitutional mechanism – article 49.3 – to force through his controversial social security budget, after failing to obtain the support of the National Rally (RN).

His proposed budget aimed to reduce the fiscal deficit from around 6% of GDP to 5% next year.

In an attempt to rally the RN to its cause, Michel Barnier made last-minute concessions, notably by removing electricity price increases and reducing health care coverage for undocumented immigrants. An effort that proved insufficient.

The opposition strong enough to oust the government

Marine Le Pen confirmed that her party would vote in favor of the left alliance motion, which will have enough support from the left and far right united to oust the prime minister.

It would be the first time in more than sixty years that a French government would be overthrown by such a vote, which would make Michel Barnier the country's shortest-serving prime minister since 1958.

Michel Barnier was appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron last September to break the deadlock in the National Assembly and tackle the country's galloping deficit.

While several members of the opposition demand the departure of Emmanuel Macron, the president described his calls for resignation as “political fiction” and assured that he would not consider leaving the Elysée before the end of his mandate in 2027.

The budget impasse damaged the French stock market in recent weeks and briefly pushed Paris' borrowing costs above those of Greece for the first time in history.