French Prime Minister Michel Barnier faces a vote of no confidence in his minority government after using special powers to push through a social security bill without a vote by MPs.
The government is unlikely to survive the vote, which was sparked this afternoon by the radical left party France Unbowed (LFI) and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN).
It will likely take place on Wednesday.
Despite last-minute concessions, Barnier clearly did not think he would be able to get his budget bill over the line.
The New People’s Front, an alliance of several left-wing parties, came out on top against Macron’s supporters and the far right after the early elections in July.
The Alliance was left furious Macron’s decision to pivot to the center right by choosing Barnier as his new prime ministerand promised to vote against the government.
This has meant that Barnier has until now had to rely on the RN for his government’s survival.
The budget bill sought to stem France’s rising deficit through DKK 60 billion.
Lacking a majority, Barnier was forced to make concessions to critics.
These included scrapping a previously planned increase in the electricity tax, as well as plans for a less generous subsidy policy for prescription medicine from next year.
But the new version of the social security budget remained unacceptable to the opposition.
He used Article 49.3 of the French constitution, which allows the text of a bill to be adopted without a vote, to push through his 2025 budget after the RN joined the left in opposing it.
“I don’t think the French will forgive us for choosing party interests over the future of the country,” Barnier told MPs on Tuesday as he explained the reasons for his decision. “Now everyone will have to accept their own responsibility, as I have accepted mine.”
Marine Le Pen explained the RN’s position before the proposal was made.
“Barnier didn’t listen to the 11 million voters in the RN… He said everyone should take their own responsibility and that’s what we’re going to do,” she said.
Barnier has warned of the economic and political consequences of ousting him, but Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI, said on Monday that “there will be no chaos when Mr Barnier and his government have gone”.
“We are now experiencing political chaos as a result of both Mr Barnier’s government and Emmanuel Macron’s presidency.”
Barnier was invited to form a government by President Emmanuel Macron in September.
RN lawmakers and the left combined have enough votes to topple Barnier.
If Barnier does not survive Wednesday’s vote, he will remain in place as interim prime minister until Macron announces a new government.
It could be a new majority government – unlikely given the fragmentation of the French parliament – or a technocratic government to rule the country until new elections can be held next summer.
The process can take weeks, as it did after a snap general election delivered a hung parliament this summer.
Several parties are also demanding a new presidential election. As it stands, Macron will remain in office until 2027.
Meanwhile, if parliament has not passed the budget by December 20, the caretaker government can invoke constitutional powers to pass it by executive order.
It could also propose emergency legislation to impose spending limits and tax provisions starting this year.