On the evening of Monday, September 8, the French National Assembly voted no confidence in Prime Minister François Bayrou. His minority government, in office for nine months, is now stepping down. A total of 194 deputies backed Bayrou, while 364 voted against him. He himself initiated the vote after a crisis over his "austerity plan," which called for nearly €44 billion in spending cuts to reduce public debt. Measures included freezing tax rates as well as fixing social benefits and pensions at current levels.
Bayrou is expected to submit his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on September 9. He is already the sixth prime minister under Macron since 2017, and the fifth since 2022.
The president’s options are limited. According to media reports, he is leaning toward appointing a new head of government "in the coming days." But any successor will face the same intractable parliament, and a "technical" government of senior officials would encounter similar obstacles. Early elections, meanwhile, would most likely once again produce a "hung" parliament with no stable majority.
Macron could also resign, but that appears unlikely given his previous statements.