France’s President Emmanuel Macron said he will appoint a new prime minister following the resignation of Michel Barnier due to a no-confidence vote in the lower house of parliament.
In a televised statement on Thursday, Macron reaffirmed his commitment to complete his term as President and remain in office until 2027, despite calls for his resignation.
Barnier’s government, the shortest in modern French history, assumed office in September but faced immediate challenges. The decision to use Article 49.3 of the French Constitution to bypass a parliamentary vote on the 2025 budget triggered a no-confidence motion.
Backed by the opposition, the motion passed, leading to the prime minister’s resignation.
The collapse of France’s government leaves the country without a clear plan to reduce its budget deficit and is likely to result in fewer cost-cutting measures than previously anticipated, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s has warned.