We witnessed significant political chaos in the United States following Donald Trump’s re-election as President of the Republic. Citizen groups and government entities question whether the new president’s policies are humane or constitutional. However, we are often so absorbed by our politics that we forget what is happening in other countries, particularly our European neighbors.
In France, political anarchy has followed President Emmanuel Macron’s dissolution of the lower government house. Over the summer, the French voted for a Parliament without a majority, creating unprecedented conflicts. Today, France faces a national consensus crisis and a lack of parliamentary unanimity concerning the choice of the Prime Minister.
Recently, French Prime Minister François Bayrou survived his third vote of no confidence. This motion came after Bayrou invoked Article 49.3 to pass the pending 2025 budget. As a result, his government faced opposition from the left, the Greens, and the Communists, who formed the left-wing coalition (the New Popular Front). Although 288 votes were required to push back the motion of no confidence, only 128 were secured. Therefore, Bayrou survived the motion, allowing the budget to pass in France.
François Bayrou, a centrist politician, has faced strong opposition from both left- and right-wing parties. Last week, he stated that France suffered from the many immigrants. In an interview, he highlighted the significant impact of mass immigration on French society. This controversial stance was firmly condemned by supporters of the New Popular Front, who criticized Bayrou for expressing such views. Leftist groups, particularly the Socialists, strongly denounced his remarks.
Nevertheless, despite the controversy surrounding the Prime Minister and his seemingly hostile stance on immigration, all opposition parties acknowledge that France needs an ambitious plan and a fiscal budget for the year. The country is grappling with a public deficit of around 6.1%. Thus, although the opposition wishes to remove Bayrou from power, they fear compromising the national economy’s future by taking such risks.
Editor’s Note: To read the original article (written in French), click here.
Sources:
Clea Caulcutt. “French PM Jeopardizes Budget Deal with Controversial Migration “Flooding” Comment.” POLITICO, 28 Jan. 2025, www.politico.eu/article/france-budget-talks-jeopardized-pm-francois-bayrou-comments-migration-flooding/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Khatsenkova, Sophia. “French PM Bayrou Survives Third No-Confidence Vote over Budget Rift.” Euronews, Euronews.com, 5 Feb. 2025, www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/05/french-pm-bayrou-survives-third-no-confidence-vote-after-2025-budget-rift. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Radziemski, Lily. “France’s PM Survives — for Now — after Ramming Budget through Parliament.” Courthousenews.com, 2025, www.courthousenews.com/frances-pm-survives-for-now-after-ramming-budget-through-parliament/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
