France is facing uncertainty after the Prime Minister Michel Barnier was voted out by the national assembly, France’s largest legislative body, on Dec. 4. He is set to resign after 331 out of 577 deputies voted against his tenure. This marks the shortest term for a prime minister since 1958; it’s also one of the shortest terms in France’s history, according to USA Today.
Why was France’s prime minister voted out?
President Emmanuel Macron appointed Barnier in September after a July parliamentary election that left French politics in turmoil. At the time, Macron had called on a snap election in an unprecedented move to rally support for his centrist party. This resulted in two coalitions, one formed by left-wing parties (who have expressed dissatisfaction over welfare reforms) and another one formed by the right-wing (who is appealing to voters by advocating against immigration). This led to a deadlock and the exit of then-prime minister Gabriel Attal.
Macron has been increasingly unpopular through his second term; his opponents have called for him to step down, which he said he won’t do. Macron’s term is up in 2027. Barnier has faced the same unpopularity among his peers, who criticized his recent proposals to increase taxes and for passing a budget bill into law without the national assembly’s vote.
What happens now?
Barnier is expected to take on a caretaker role until the president appoints a new prime minister. His typical duties include conducting daily government operations and helping implement laws.
Meanwhile, Macron may pursue negotiations with his opponents to try and appoint a new prime minister. However, he is unable to call another snap parliamentary election as the constitution prohibits a vote until next summer.
Experts cite additional political and economic turmoil, including France’s national public debt totaling around $3 trillion, according to the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.
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