France’s political turmoil intensified on Wednesday as lawmakers passed a no-confidence motion, effectively ousting Prime Minister Michel Barnier after only three months in office. The crisis stemmed from a deadlock over next year’s budget, with far-left and right-wing factions in the National Assembly refusing to collaborate. Amid growing market uncertainty and unions planning strikes that could close schools, disrupt air and rail services, and jeopardize jobs, concerns are mounting that the country is facing a critical emergency.
The no-confidence motion, proposed by the hard left but crucially backed by the far right, headed by Marine Le Pen, found support from 331 MPs in the 577-member National Assembly, enough to topple the government. The vote, which will be formally confirmed on Thursday morning, is the first successful no-confidence vote in over six decades.
President Emmanuel Macron’s gamble to call snap elections in the summer and then form a minority government has backfired. The centrist leader is being squeezed by a left-wing coalition and the far right, both of which won significant gains in the June poll. The resulting deadlock is unlikely to be broken because no group can secure a majority in the National Assembly.
Some observers see the crisis as a necessary wake-up call for a country that has given in to calls for ever more lavish public spending and is now racked by debt that exceeds European Union limits. Nicolas Beytout, a columnist for the pro-business daily L’Opinion, writes that bringing the country face-to-face with its economic plight is the only way it will be forced to accept tough cuts.
But others argue that Macron’s policies are to blame. They point to his failure to push back against far-right voters, who have seized on the Paris attacks and the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral as an opportunity to promote an anti-immigration message, as well as the disaffection of his left-wing base over issues such as unemployment and welfare reforms.
Macron is adamant that he will not resign, saying it would only add to the chaos and “wouldn’t change anything when it comes to how fragmented the National Assembly is.” He has also been accused of using the crisis to boost his popularity ahead of the presidential elections in 2024.
With no new parliamentary elections possible until July, the political deadlock will likely continue. That would be frustrating to the French population, which is still grappling with the effects of the attacks and the high unemployment rate. Some analysts say Macron should use his constitutional powers to bypass parliament and pass the budget through an ordinance to defuse the crisis. However, that option, which Charles de Gaulle used in a similar situation in 1962, would be controversial and only prolong the uncertainty. Instead, Macron is expected to appoint a new prime minister rapidly, sources told AFP.
