French President Emmanuel Macron looks on prior to greet Georgia's President at the Elysee Palace in Paris on February 28, 2022. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)
French President, Emmanuel Macron will address the nation on Thursday night, a day after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote.
Several names have been going around for a new prime minister before Barnier even tendered his resignation on Thursday morning, including Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and centrist former presidential candidate François Bayrou.
Barnier is likely to be asked to remain in post in the interim.
Barnier’s government collapsed after MPs voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion against him, just three months after he was appointed by Macron.
Wednesday night’s vote was the first time a French government had been voted down by parliament in more than 60 years.
Marine Le Pen’s far right and the left-wing New Popular Front both united to censure Barnier’s government after the former Brexit negotiator used special powers to force through his budget without a vote.
A total of 331 voted in support of the motion, far more than the 288 required for it to pass.
Barnier is now obliged to present the resignation of his government, while the budget which triggered his downfall was automatically withdrawn.
As president, Macron is constitutionally unaffected by Barnier’s resignation.
But many opposition politicians are increasingly open about wanting to force him to resign and call early presidential elections – something Macron has insisted is off the cards.
Marine Le Pen said the “only dignified solution” for opposition MPs was to oppose the budget
The left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP), which won the most seats in the parliamentary elections, had previously criticised Macron’s decision to appoint centrist Barnier as prime minister over its candidate.
No new parliamentary elections can be held until July, so the current deadlock in the Assembly – where no group can hope to have a working majority – is set to continue.
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