The Shocking Reason France’s Government Just Collapsed and What Comes Next

France's political landscape was plunged into further uncertainty tonight after Prime Minister François Bayrou's government collapsed, losing a no-confidence vote in parliament by a margin of 364–194. Bayrou, who has been in office for less than nine months, becomes the fifth prime minister to fall in the last 20 months, a level of political instability not seen since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958.

The vote came after Bayrou’s government proposed a series of deep austerity cuts to address France’s significant economic crisis. With a national debt at 114% of its GDP and a budget deficit of 5.8%, nearly double the European Union’s limit, the government's plan to save €44 billion included freezing welfare payments and canceling two national holidays. The move was met with fierce opposition from both the far-left and far-right, whose combined seats were more than enough to topple the minority government.

In a dramatic and unexpected move, Bayrou himself called for the no-confidence vote, stating, "I want to demand agreement from the politicians." He added, "You have the power to bring down the government, but you do not have the power to erase reality." Far-right leader Marine Le Pen called the move "political suicide," while far-left politician Mathilde Panot said, "Today is a relief for millions of French people, a relief at your departure."

The defeat now places President Emmanuel Macron in an increasingly difficult position. His decision to dissolve parliament last year, after a poor showing in the European Parliament elections, resulted in a fragmented parliament with no single party or bloc holding a majority. Macron’s options are now severely limited. He could appoint a new prime minister for the sixth time in two years, but finding a candidate who can command a stable majority is unlikely. His second option is to call for another snap election, a move he has ruled out so far, as polls suggest it would lead to a landslide victory for the far-right, a result he desperately sought to avoid in the first place.

As the political deadlock continues, public frustration is mounting. A recent poll showed that only 15% of the public trusts Macron, while Bayrou's support was a historically low 14%. The economic and political turmoil also has wider implications, as France is Europe's second-largest economy. Its political instability could destabilize the entire EU, and its borrowing costs are already rising. The crisis is expected to escalate this month, with a new protest movement planning nationwide demonstrations and labor unions scheduling widespread strikes.