Pressure Mounts on French Prime Minister François Bayrou Amid Calls for Resignation
French Prime Minister François Bayrou is under increasing pressure as recent polls indicate that a majority of the French populace demands his resignation, advocates for new parliamentary elections, and expresses a desire for President Emmanuel Macron to step down, reports 24brussels.
Opposition parties are gearing up to support a confidence vote aimed at Bayrou’s removal, set for 8 September, which he himself called due to the nation’s ‘disastrous’ financial situation. The political landscape has turned turbulent as public dissatisfaction grows.
Bayrou had pinned his hopes on a summer-long communication initiative, utilizing his YouTube channel to clarify the country’s public debt predicament and to rally citizens to pressure lawmakers for a compromise. However, recent polling data reveals that his outreach efforts have fallen short of expectations.
Polling organizations report that between 56% and 69% of French citizens now favor dissolving the National Assembly and conducting snap legislative elections. Notably, an IFOP survey for LCI indicates that a remarkable 68% believe Macron should also resign.
Earlier in July, Bayrou had proposed an extensive €44 billion savings plan aimed at reducing the public deficit to 4.6% by 2026, despite France’s debt exceeding €3.3 trillion. However, the government’s proposals, which include the removal of two public holidays while sparing the wealthiest groups, have not resonated with the public.
A survey conducted by Elabe for BFMTV reveals that 76% of respondents view the 2026 draft budget suggested by Bayrou as ineffective in tackling public debt, and a staggering 82% believe that the burden of financial sacrifice is distributed unfairly across society.
