The French Government Dissolved Following No-Confidence Vote by Parliament Members

On Wednesday, December 5, French parliament members from both the right and left voted by a majority to deny confidence to Michel Barnier, the Prime Minister of France, and his cabinet; a no-confidence vote that leads to the dissolution of the French government. This no-confidence vote came after the Prime Minister used his special powers under the constitution to set aside part of the budget bill proposed by parliament. Michel Barnier is expected to soon submit his resignation and that of his cabinet to Emmanuel Macron, the President of France. This is the first time in over sixty years, since 1962, that the French government has lost the confidence of a majority of parliament members. According to Reuters, this event has plunged France, the second-largest economy in the European Union, into a political crisis and threatens the country's ability to address its severe budget deficit. Leftist parties accuse Emmanuel Macron of violating democracy and stealing election results after he refused to select a candidate from the leftist coalition 'New People's Front.' The 73-year-old Michel Barnier, considered center-right in French politics, was the former EU negotiator for Brexit. After taking office as Prime Minister in September of this year, he acknowledged that his government lacked a majority in the French parliament and expressed hope for the inclusion of some moderate left parties in his government. Earlier, some media outlets had predicted that France, under pressure from the European Commission and bond markets to reduce its deficit, would face significant challenges in pursuing economic changes and the budget for the year 2025.