French lawmakers voted Monday to remove Prime Minister François Bayrou, toppling the government and thrusting the country into a fresh political crisis marked by economic strain and rising global tensions.
The no-confidence motion passed with 364 votes against Bayrou and 194 in favor, far surpassing the 280 needed to oust him. The prime minister had called the vote in an attempt to secure support for a €44 billion ($51 billion) savings plan that proposed scrapping two public holidays and freezing government spending.
Bayrou, in office for just nine months, will be forced to resign, becoming the second French prime minister in less than a year to fall to a no-confidence vote after Michel Barnier was ousted in December.
According to the Élysée Palace, Bayrou is expected to hand in his resignation Tuesday, with President Emmanuel Macron set to name a successor within days. Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin are considered frontrunners.
Bayrou’s downfall has intensified pressure on Macron, with opposition figures urging him to resign and leader Marine Le Pen demanding he dissolve parliament. Despite the mounting calls, Macron has insisted he will complete his term.
