Paris, September 10: French Prime Minister François Bayrou faces a likely defeat in a parliamentary confidence vote on Monday, a setback that could plunge the country deeper into political and economic crisis and cast fresh doubts over President Emmanuel Macron’s future.
Bayrou, a 74-year-old veteran politician who took office in December, has staked his credibility on a controversial budget plan seeking £40 billion in savings. The package includes cutting two public holidays, measures he argues are essential to prevent the European Union’s second-largest economy from sliding into a Greek-style debt crisis.
But the proposals have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and anger from the public. The Socialist Party has vowed to oppose the government, joining forces with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally. “Once again, this budget penalises the most vulnerable, working-class families and ordinary workers,” Socialist MP Celine Thiebault-Martinez said.
France has not balanced its budget since 1974, and its debt-to-GDP ratio is now the third highest in Europe, behind only Greece and Italy. Servicing that debt costs more annually than the country spends on either defence or education.
National Rally, riding high in the polls, is pressing for fresh parliamentary elections, framing the vote as a chance to punish Macron. “For eight years now it’s always been the same recipe: more rules, more taxes, preventing the French economy from moving forward,” National Rally MP Gaetan Dussaussaye said.
If Bayrou loses, he will remain in office temporarily while Macron weighs difficult choices: dissolve parliament and call new elections, appoint a fifth prime minister in under two years, or confront growing calls for his resignation — an option he has repeatedly ruled out.
Business leaders warn the uncertainty is weighing heavily on industry. Nicolas Gaudin, who runs a company supplying the automotive and aeronautics sectors, said orders are drying up. “We have no visibility at the moment. Back in June, we told ourselves that things would pick up in September, but here we are, and we still don’t have any more information,” he said.
On the factory floor, frustration runs deeper. “We don’t feel represented,” worker Alexandre Bocquet said. “When it comes to purchasing power or work, we feel completely abandoned.”
