On Wednesday, the National Assembly passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Michel Barnier, causing the French government to collapse for the second time this year and giving the former Eurocrat the ignominious honor of being France's shortest-serving prime minister in modern times. history.
On Wednesday, just 91 days after being appointed to the Hôtel Matignon by President Macron, Michel Barnier joined Marine Le Pen's populist National Rally party (RN) in a censure motion launched by the left-wing New Party calling for the government's ouster. As a result of his participation in the war, he witnessed the collapse of the government. Popular Front (NFP) bloc; le figaro report.
Le Pen and her faction have given the Barnier government unquestionable support after July's parliamentary elections saw the National Assembly fall into a three-way tie between the left-wing NFP, the National Rally and the neoliberal Macronists. The prime minister said Mr Barnier moved on Monday to trigger a constitutional loophole in an attempt to force through substantial cuts to social security payments for the elderly without a vote in parliament, and that Ms Le Pen withdrew support from the government. expressed. Toward a vote of no confidence in the NFP.
The motion was passed by parliament on Wednesday after 331 MPs voted in favor of the government's collapse, far exceeding the 289 needed for passage. This is the first time since 1962 that a Paris government has been overthrown by a parliamentary vote. Mr Barnier, a former Eurocrat and top Brexiteer, was in office for just 91 days, making him the third prime minister after Pierre Béregovois (362 days), Maurice Couve de Mourville (345 days) and Edith Cresson (322 days). Holds the title with the shortest tenure. Former Macron Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Bernard Cazeneuve ended their reign after 240 days at the beginning of this year, and Bernard Cazeneuve after 161 days.
Mr Barnier said in his final speech in front of parliament on Wednesday before his dismissal as a fait accompli. I tried to counter that by presenting difficult financial texts. I think it's better to give money away even if you don't have it. But this reality remains there, and will not disappear through the magic of a censure motion. This reality will be remembered by any government, no matter what it is. ”
Just weeks after the collapse of the German coalition government, the French government collapsed, leaving a power vacuum at the heart of the EU. President Macron, who returned today from a visit to Saudi Arabia, will remain at the helm of the French state in the future, given that the constitution prohibits him from calling for new parliamentary elections until the middle of next year and that he has refused to step down as president. Your options will be limited. , that would trigger a national election.
It is conceivable that Mr Macron may simply try to reinstate Mr Barnier, but budget issues remain and unless there are significant concessions, a second Mr Barnier is likely to face a similar outcome as the first. . He may seek a successor from the so-called center-right Republican Party, which Barnier hails from, but it is unclear whether there is someone capable of lifting the poisoned chalice that has become prime minister.
Alternatively, Macron could seek to appoint an Italian-style technocratic government staffed with bureaucrats and “experts,” an option that has never been tried in modern France. Meanwhile, the NFP bloc, which claims to have won the last election despite receiving far fewer votes than the RN, is making noise, calling on Macron to ally with him and appoint his country's leftist as the country's next prime minister. are. However, given disagreements over economic and foreign policy, particularly the staunchly anti-Israel message of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a major power broker on the far left, and others, this could mean that Macron's centrist allies in parliament may cause a rebellion between them. New popular front.
Mr. Barnier, a 73-year-old veteran politician, had been pitched to the public as a solid political operator who could steer a divided parliament and pass the budget cuts needed to avert a looming debt crisis. was clearly not up to the task. Surprisingly, reports emerged on Tuesday that Barnier believed Le Pen's threat to bring down the government over social security cuts was a bluff and had therefore given up on negotiations with the RN leader.
Appearing in front of the semicircle of the Bourbon Palace on Wednesday, Le Pen said: “Here we are at a moment of truth… It brings an end to short-lived governments… Indomitable spirit, sectarianism and dogmatism dictate the prime minister's actions. It was within their own ranks that prevented it.” Had there been even a small concession, this outcome could have been avoided. ”
“The budget we reject today is not just a broken promise; it is directionless and visionless. It is a technocratic budget that continues downhill, careful not to touch on the totem of unchecked immigration.” declared Le Pen.
Macron's supporters tried to feign anger at the National Rally and the New Popular Front's cooperation in overthrowing the government, but in July Macron's decision to strike an electoral pact with far-left forces to prevent Le Pen's election. In light of this, such criticism rings hollow. Prevent a party from winning an election and seizing power. Le Pen responded to the criticism on Wednesday, saying her participation in the no-confidence vote did not mean she was cooperating with far-left forces, but was merely using them as a “tool”.
After a no-confidence vote toppled the government, Barnier could continue to serve as interim prime minister until Macron appoints a new prime minister. Barnier will be blocked from passing any new legislation, but he will be able to enact emergency measures to avoid a U.S.-style government shutdown, including potentially approving funding for public services.
Mr Barnier turned to the media as a last resort to save his job, warning on Tuesday night that blocking the government from passing next year's budget would automatically result in tax increases for 18 million people.
However, National Rally Chairman Jordan Bardella said, branded He said the claims were “completely false” and a tactic to “scare” people. He cited a similar example from 1979, saying Congress could pass a special law to adjust tax rates to prevent tax increases.
Amid political turmoil, France's borrowing costs have for the first time fallen to chronically indebted Greece's borrowing costs amid political turmoil, although the government's collapse and failure to pass a budget threatens to further destabilize the country's economy. Although temporarily surpassed, Mr. Bardera insisted that Mr. Barnier's budget was not reasonable. This is a bigger threat to France's economy than ousting Barnier from office, he said, pointing to around 40 billion euros worth of tax increases on an already struggling economy.
“This budget is dangerous for the country,” the RN leader said, warning that it would “plunge the economy into a deep recession and reduce the purchasing power of the most vulnerable people.”
“Therefore, I will take responsibility and keep my promise to my constituents, which is to protect them.”
