PARIS: French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said on Monday his government would request a vote of confidence on September 8, seeking parliamentary backing for his battle against soaring public debt.
Far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella immediately said his party would not back Bayrou’s planned cuts, suggesting the minority government could face defeat in the vote.
Bayrou told a news conference the National Assembly would be asked to “confirm the scale” of spending reductions, as the government seeks to save around 44 billion euros ($51 billion) a year.
“I have asked the president, who has agreed, to convene an extraordinary session of parliament on Monday, September 8,” Bayrou told reporters.
Bayrou does not have a majority in parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly, and the upcoming vote underscores the fragility of his position.
Bayrou said France was going through a “decisive moment.”
“If you have a majority, the government is confirmed. If you do not have a majority, the government falls,” Bayrou added.
Both the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) and Bardella’s far-right RN said they would use the vote to try to oust the centrist government.
“Francois Bayrou has just announced the end of his government, undermined by its complacent inaction,” Bardella said, in a social media post.
François Bayrou vient d’annoncer la fin de son gouvernement, miné par son immobilisme satisfait.
Jamais le RN ne votera la confiance à un gouvernement dont les choix font souffrir le peuple français.
Nos compatriotes attendent une alternance et un retour aux urnes: nous y…
— Jordan Bardella (@J_Bardella) August 25, 2025
“The RN will never vote in favour of a government whose choices cause suffering to the French people. Our fellow citizens are waiting for a change and a return to the ballot box: we are ready.”
In mid-July, Bayrou presented 2026 budget proposals, saying he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays in France as part of a bid to tackle what he called the “curse” of the country’s debt.
After years of overspending, France is on notice to control its public deficit and cut its sprawling debt, as required under EU rules.
