France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier — leading a minority coalition — has been removed from office as left wing parties united to support a non–confidence motion, marking the first time such an event has taken place in France since 1962.The motion was supported by MPs from Marine Le Pen’s anti–immigration, far–right, National Rally, reported The Guardian, noting a total of 331 lawmakers — a majority — voted on Wednesday evening to topple the government."Barnier will have to resign as prime minister, having warned before the vote that France would be “plunged into the unknown," wrote The Guardian."The toppling of the government leaves the president, Emmanuel Macron, facing the worst political crisis of his two terms as president. There is uncertainty over how a 2025 budget can be decided as France faces a growing public deficit, and over whom Macron could appoint as prime minister."France has struggled in recent years with a flood of asylum seekers who are facing difficult living conditions and police abuse, reported Human Rights Watch. Irate farmers have also stormed cities on multiple occasions, spraying manure on public buildings.The Local says France has no functional government and faces a looming financial crisis, "the likes of which the country has not seen since World War II.""The most urgent problem is that France doesn't actually have a functioning government, since inconclusive snap parliamentary elections in July produced a political stalemate," wrote The Local."There's never a good time for political instability, but this has come at an especially bad time for France, which is facing a looming financial crisis due to a ballooning budget deficit and threats from ratings agencies to downgrade the country's credit rating."
France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier — leading a minority coalition — has been removed from office as left wing parties united to support a non–confidence motion, marking the first time such an event has taken place in France since 1962.The motion was supported by MPs from Marine Le Pen’s anti–immigration, far–right, National Rally, reported The Guardian, noting a total of 331 lawmakers — a majority — voted on Wednesday evening to topple the government."Barnier will have to resign as prime minister, having warned before the vote that France would be “plunged into the unknown," wrote The Guardian."The toppling of the government leaves the president, Emmanuel Macron, facing the worst political crisis of his two terms as president. There is uncertainty over how a 2025 budget can be decided as France faces a growing public deficit, and over whom Macron could appoint as prime minister."France has struggled in recent years with a flood of asylum seekers who are facing difficult living conditions and police abuse, reported Human Rights Watch. Irate farmers have also stormed cities on multiple occasions, spraying manure on public buildings.The Local says France has no functional government and faces a looming financial crisis, "the likes of which the country has not seen since World War II.""The most urgent problem is that France doesn't actually have a functioning government, since inconclusive snap parliamentary elections in July produced a political stalemate," wrote The Local."There's never a good time for political instability, but this has come at an especially bad time for France, which is facing a looming financial crisis due to a ballooning budget deficit and threats from ratings agencies to downgrade the country's credit rating."
