Michel Barnier’s government lasted only three months: a motion of no confidence from the left, also voted for by Marine Le Pen’s far right, has just passed the Assemblée Nationale. It is the second government of the French Fifth Republic toppled by a motion of no confidence after that of Georges Pompidou in 1962. President Emmanuel Macron, who has just returned from Saudi Arabia where he was on a state visit, intends to appoint a successor within a few hours.
It’s the first time since 1962
The French National Assembly has brought down the government of Michel Barnier, an unprecedented gesture since 1962, which plunges the country into a period of strong political and financial uncertainty, six months after the early elections.
The government, which on Monday had undertaken under Article 49, paragraph 3 of the Constitution, to have the social security budget approved without a vote, was overthrown by the vote of 331 deputies, with Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National choosing to support the motion of no confidence presented by the left-wing alliance NFP. 288 votes were needed to bring down the government.
Barnier, who has been in office for just three months, is now forced to submit his resignation, and that of his government, to President Emmanuel Macron.
“Macron wants to appoint a new prime minister in 24 hours”
Returning this evening from a 3-day state visit to Saudi Arabia, French President Emmanuel Macron intends to nominate the successor to Michel Barnier, who has no confidence in Parliament. According to BFM TV, the president began the consultations from Riyadh with his loyalists and continues them from the presidential plane. His priority, say close collaborators quoted by BFM, is «not to appear without a government in front of Trump, who will be in Paris over the weekend for the reopening of Notre-Dame». “It’s a question of credibility for France,” adds the source.