France's President Emmanuel Macron made serious accusations against the opposition after the fall of Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government through a vote of no confidence and emphasized his intention to fully serve his term until 2027. "The responsibility you have democratically entrusted me with is a five-year mandate, and I will fulfill it until the end," said Macron on Thursday in his first statement after the political crisis.
Barnier, whose term of only three months is the shortest in the history of the Fifth Republic, was toppled by a vote of no confidence initiated by a divided parliament. This outcome follows the lost new elections in the summer, which led to a deadlock between three political blocs—none of which has a clear majority.
Macron promised to appoint a new prime minister "in the coming days" who must face the same political challenges. "The opposition has chosen chaos," he criticized, particularly the far-right National Rally (RN) and the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP). Both aim "only to provoke and prepare for the presidential elections.
The vote of no confidence also overturned the 2025 budget, which included a package of 60 billion euros in tax increases and spending cuts. The aim was to reduce the deficit from over six percent in 2024 to about five percent the following year. The RN had announced they would block the budget if their demands were not met and carried out this threat despite Barnier's concessions.
By the end of the year, a new budget must be adopted to ensure the continuity of government services. Macron announced that by mid-December he would present a special finance bill to secure the necessary transitional measures.
The formation of a new government is hindered by deep divisions in Parliament. Macron faces the choice of either forging an alliance with Barnier's party Les Républicains again or seeking a new political configuration. Attempts to detach moderate left-wing parties from the alliance with La France Insoumise have so far been unsuccessful. LFI and RN have signaled that they will reject any Prime Minister who does not come from their respective camps.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the RN, stated: "There will be no Prime Minister from the Nouveau Front Populaire." At the same time, the LFI announced it would "automatically censure" any non-leftist candidate.
Macron thanked Barnier, an experienced politician and former EU chief Brexit negotiator, for his services. Barnier will remain in a transitional role until a new prime minister is appointed. The political crisis is testing not only Macron's government but also the entire institutional stability of France.
