Barnier ousted as France’s prime minister after losing vote of no confidence

France’s far-right and left-wing legislators joined together on Wednesday to vote for a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier to resign.

The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed.

Deeply divided

President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament.

Barnier on Monday invoked a rarely used constitutional mechanism to push through the contentious 2025 budget without parliamentary approval, arguing it was essential to maintain “stability” amid deep political divisions.

The move immediately drew sharp backlash, with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and the leftist New Popular Front both filing no-confidence motions in response.

Mr Macron had turned to Mr Barnier in September to navigate the impasse and address France’s soaring deficit.

Yet Mr Barnier’s proposed austerity budget only deepened divisions, inflaming tensions in the lower house and triggering this dramatic political confrontation.