French Prime Minister François Bayrou Loses Confidence Vote, Ending Premiership
French Prime Minister François Bayrou lost a confidence vote in the National Assembly on Monday, signaling the conclusion of his leadership just nine months after taking office, reports 24brussels.
Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly, announced the results at 19:00, with 364 votes against and only 194 in support of Bayrou’s government.
Bayrou initiated the vote to secure backing for his government’s unpopular budget proposals. The outcome was anticipated, as both the far-right and left-wing opposition had indicated they would not support the plans.
A source close to Bayrou revealed that he intends to submit his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday morning. With Macron facing the challenge of appointing a new prime minister after dissolving parliament in 2024, this political shift is critical. Bayrou’s tenure marks the sixth prime ministership under Macron since his election in 2017. A recent attempt to garner support from coalition party leaders failed to yield results.
The Bayrou administration aimed to implement €44 billion in spending cuts to reduce the budget deficit from 5.4% to 4.6%. Proposed measures included contentious moves to eliminate Easter Monday and Victory Day on May 8 as official public holidays.
