France is facing a political storm after Prime Minister François Bayrou was voted out of office. He lost a no-confidence vote in the national assembly with 364 lawmakers voting against him and only 194 were in his favour.
The dramatic vote came after Bayrou introduced a tough budget plan that aimed to cut nearly €44 billion from public spending. The proposal included controversial measures such as removing some public holidays , freezing welfare payments and limiting other social benefits . While Bayrou stated that these steps were necessary to stabilise France’s finances, both the left wing and the right wing strongly opposed the plan saying that it would hurt ordinary citizens during difficult times .
Bayrou’s fall out makes him the third PM in just over a year to leave the office adding to the growing political crisis faced by President Emmanuel Macron. The government has been struggling to keep control in a Parliament that is deeply divided with no clear majority to back Macron’s policies.
In response to Bayrou’s removal , President Macron quickly appointed defence minister Sébastien Lecornu as the new PM . Lecornu is considered one of Macron’s close allies and now becomes the fifth person to hold the post of Prime Minister within two years. His first major work will be presenting the budget of 2026 and trying to win enough support from Parliament to pass it.
Unrest is also brewing outside parliament . Unions and protest groups have already announced a campaign . Mass demonstrations and strikes are expected across the country. To prepare for the protests , authorities plan to deploy around 80,000 police officers .
The repeated collapses of prime ministers highlights how unstable the french politics has become. Many are now questioning whether President Macron can finish his term effectively or not . Whether the continuous political battles will weaken his leadership further. For ordinary french citizens , the uncertainty over jobs, wages and social benefits remains the biggest concern.
Lecornu faces the difficult task of bringing calm to both the Parliament and the streets, while proving he can deliver stability where others have failed.
