France’s minority government close to collapsing amid political discord
Photo: French Prime Minister Michel Barnier (Getty Images)
France is on the brink of a political crisis, as the minority government led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier risks losing the confidence of parliament. A vote of no confidence could result in the government's resignation, further complicating the country's political situation, Politico reports.
The government, formed by center-right and conservative parties, relies on support from one of the major parliamentary factions: the Socialists or the far-right National Rally.
After talking with Barnier, the Socialist leader in the Senate, Patrick Kanner, stated that he had not received sufficient guarantees to support the government. He also criticized President Emmanuel Macron’s policies, which he claimed led to an "unprecedented deficit."
National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, who had previously supported the government on some issues, expressed her readiness to vote for a no-confidence motion if the budget is not amended.
The Prime Minister attempted to pass the budget using a special procedure under the French Constitution (Article 49.3), which allows parliament to be bypassed. However, this automatically triggered a vote of no confidence.
If the no-confidence motion passes, Barnier's government will be forced to resign, leading to the formation of a new cabinet or even early elections.
The crisis could complicate the process of passing crucial laws, including the budget for 2025, adding to the country's economic challenges.
The Socialists and far-right could capitalize on the situation to strengthen their political influence, pushing for changes in the government.
As a reminder, French President Emmanuel Macron initiated the deployment of military instructors to train Ukrainian soldiers.
Additionally, France completed the training of the Ukrainian brigade Anne of Kyiv earlier this month.
