In a political earthquake shaking Paris to Brussels, French lawmakers toppled Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government Wednesday through a rare no-confidence vote – marking France's first collapsed government since 1962.
The surprise 331-vote majority saw unlikely allies from far-right National Rally and left-wing France Unbowed unite against Barnier's use of constitutional powers to push through €60B budget cuts. Talk about frenemies with benefits!
Barnier – whose government lasted just three months – will reportedly resign Thursday morning, leaving President Emmanuel Macron scrambling to stabilize a fractured nation. The crisis comes just months after Macron's snap election gamble backfired, creating a gridlocked parliament.
\"This deficit won't vanish like magic,\" Barnier warned opponents before the vote, predicting fiscal headaches for whoever takes charge next. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu sounded alarms about potential impacts on France's support for Ukraine.
With no clear path to a stable government, France risks entering 2025 without an approved budget – though constitutional safeguards should prevent a U.S.-style shutdown. The turmoil weakens the EU amid Germany's coalition collapse and ahead of Donald Trump's potential White House return.
As Marine Le Pen's National Rally cheers this power vacuum, all eyes now turn to Macron: Will France's president bend to calls for resignation, or pull another political rabbit from his hat?
