The National Assembly of France passed a no-confidence motion Wednesday that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Michel Barnier just barely three months into his term. The resolution swept through 331-288 votes and sealed the fate of Prime Minister Barnier who began his tenure under Emmanuel Macron in September.
The shortest-serving prime minister in French history, Barnier recognized the seriousness of the matter. “It has been an honor to serve France with dignity,” he said before formally submitting his resignation at the Elysée Palace on Thursday morning.
Budget disputes prompted the no-confidence vote, which saw far-left and far-right lawmakers unite against Barnier’s administration. Coming after the Ensemble coalition had lost its seats in the snap elections of July, the vote further complicates Macron’s governance in a fractured parliament.
Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader of the National Rally has made a declaration of her readiness to cooperate with the next prime minister while refraining from explicitly calling for Macron’s resignation. “What we want is respect for our voters’ demands,” she said via social media.
Under pressure from all political fronts, President Macron is likely to address the nation and name a new prime minister capable of navigating the political impasse. Macron dismissed calls to quit as he reiterated his intention of serving his term until 2027, thereby discounting any chances of holding legislative elections anew before July.
The unprecedented political crisis would expose unknown risks to the economic stability of France by having ripples on national debt and financial markets. This is because Macron’s moves will determine what will next happen in the nation when this chapter remains uncertain and parliamentary coherence is regained.
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