Only three months after it was established, the French Parliament last night (Wednesday) overthrew the government of Michel Barnier Due to a dispute over the budget for 2025 and the moves to reduce the deficit. The acute political crisis places the president Emmanuel Macron Faced with a significant challenge in trying to form a new government and pass the budget.
Barnier was appointed to the position after the flash elections held by Macron last July, in which his party lost the majority in parliament. Now, the president is faced with a dilemma regarding the appointment he must make to the position of the new prime minister. Among the names mentioned as potential candidates: the Minister of Defense Sebastian Lacorno the old central leader Francois Bayreuth and the former socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve. In addition, according to a report in the Financial Times, the possibility of appointing a technocratic government headed by a public official or a non-political figure is being considered.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the opposition, including Marine Le Pen from the extreme right and Jean-Luc Melanchon From the extreme left, they are taking advantage of Macron’s weakness. “Everyone is keeping an eye on the presidential elections in 2027, and this also affects the conduct of the party leaders,” he explains to the British newspaper Jean Grieg a historian specializing in the French Parliament and Constitution.
If a quick solution is not found, France could enter a constitutional crisis. According to the estimates of the investment bank Morgan Stanley, in the event of not passing an orderly budget, the deficit in 2025 is expected to jump to 6.3%, compared to the expected 5.6% that appeared in Barnier’s original plan. Frank Elisio a senior member of parliament from Le Pen’s “National Union” party, clarified that “his party will continue to advance its agenda, including improving citizens’ purchasing power and reducing immigration,” and did not rule out the possibility of overthrowing the next government as well.
on the other hand, Gabriel Atal head of Macron’s Center Party, calls for the establishment of a broad unity government from the moderate left and right, while excluding the extremist elements. “This will get us all out of the situation where the government is held hostage by Marine Le Pen,” said Attal, although he admitted that he is not sure of the chances of such a scenario actually materializing.