France's New Popular Front, a coalition of left-wing lawmakers, filed a no-confidence motion on Friday against Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government. However, this motion will only proceed if far-right lawmakers also support it, which is considered highly unlikely. President Emmanuel Macron appointed Barnier as prime minister last month following a snap election that resulted in a fragmented and hung parliament. Although the left-wing coalition secured the most votes, they did not achieve an outright majority. The single party that received the largest share of support was the far-right National Rally.
Consequently, Barnier, who belongs to the centre-right Republican party, leads a precarious government that is disdained by both left and right factions. His administration faces the challenging tasks of securing approval for a state budget and reducing the deficit. The motion stated, 'The existence of this government, in its composition and its direction, is a denial of the result of the most recent legislative elections.' The left-wing lawmakers argued that Macron should have appointed a prime minister from their ranks, and they criticized the upcoming budget as 'the most austere in the last 25 years.'
In recent days, National Rally lawmakers have indicated that they would not support a no-confidence vote, especially so early in Barnier's tenure. They are wary of being perceived as exacerbating France's political instability for personal gain. After Barnier outlined his government's policy framework earlier this week, National Rally's Marine Le Pen expressed her willingness 'to give a chance' to the prime minister. However, she outlined conditions, including ensuring that any tax increases are balanced by increased spending power for the lower and middle classes. Le Pen also emphasized the need for stricter immigration controls at the beginning of next year.
Representatives for the National Rally did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
