In France, two different motions of no confidence submitted against the government by the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) and the far-right National Rally (RN) party and their supporters were discussed in the General Assembly of the National Assembly.
In the vote held in the National Assembly, 331 deputies supported the motion of no confidence submitted by the leftist alliance. The 288 votes required for the motion of no confidence to be accepted were reached. Thus, the Barnier government, which served the shortest term of the 5th Republic period, fell.
With the votes in support of the interpellation, the government’s 2025 health insurance budget was also rejected by the Parliament.
An atmosphere of high tension prevailed at the session, where leading figures from political groups, especially leftist Eric Coquerel from the opposition and far-right Marine Le Pen, made speeches before the vote. Politicians’ speeches were frequently interrupted by whistling and booing.
According to news in the national press, President Emmanuel Macron, who was on his way back after 3 days of official contacts in Saudi Arabia, stated that he “wants to appoint a prime minister to replace Barnier within 24 hours.”
Prime Minister Barnier, on behalf of the government, stated that the time has come for integrity and responsibility.
“(The 2025 Budget bill) was not perfect, I accept that we did not do everything well in the beginning,” Barnier said. He said that they prepared this budget in 15 days.
Emphasizing that no government in France has prepared a budget in such a short time since 1958, Barnier noted that the political groups in the Parliament made changes to the 2025 budget and made it better.
Addressing the far-right RN party, which announced that it would support the motion of no confidence, Barnier said, “We do not have the same opinion on sovereignty and patriotism.” he said.
Evaluating that the fall of the government would make everything more difficult for the country, Barnier argued that they had reached “the best possible compromise” on the budget.
Barnier said that the motion of no confidence would have “severe” consequences; He said that the purchasing power of the French would decrease and that new military and police recruitment would not be possible without a new budget.
“YOU AGREED WITH THE ULTIMATE RIGHT, BUT THAT DID NOT PREVENT YOUR FALL”
Eric Coquerel, Chairman of the National Assembly Finance Commission, speaking on behalf of the left alliance New Popular Front (NFP), stated in his speech at the General Assembly that the Barnier government, which refused to heed French President Macron’s calls for the repeal of the controversial pension reform, was “illegitimate”.
Coquerel noted that they are making history in France today and said, “The majority of the people are behind this motion of no confidence.” he said.
Regarding the motion of no confidence submitted by the opposition against the government, Coquerel said, “The main responsible for this situation is Emmanuel Macron.” he said.
Addressing the Barnier government, Coquerel said, “You made compromises with the far right, but this did not prevent your decline.” he commented.
Referring to the government of Georges Pompidou, who was reappointed as prime minister after his fall in France in 1962, Coquerel said, “Unlike Georges Pompidou, most of the citizens stand behind neither your government nor Emmanuel Macron.” he said.
HE SAID THAT IT HAS FINALLY REACHED THE END
RN Group Deputy Chairman Marine Le Pen, alluding to the previous Macron government, said to Michel Barnier, “We wanted to believe that you are not a continuation of the previous system.” he said. However, Le Pen pointed out that they were wrong about this issue during her approximately 3-month period and accused the government of acting according to personal interests.
Le Pen said that the Barnier government, which she described as “temporary”, had “finally come to an end”.
Evaluating the negotiations with Barnier on the budget, Le Pen claimed that the Prime Minister “did not make the slightest concession that would prevent the interpellation.”
Regarding Macron’s accusation of “plunging the country into chaos” by his ally centre-right parties, Le Pen argued that “the worst thing would be not to censor the budget”.
Le Pen also harshly criticized the tax increase envisaged by the government in the budget bill and said, “You had only one answer; tax, tax, tax, always tax.” he said.
Le Pen claimed that the budget bill presented by the government “is the exact opposite of what was thought and discussed.”
SOCIALISTS WANT A LEFT-WIST PRIME MINISTER
Deputy Group Chairman of the Socialist Party (PS), Boris Vallaud, argued that when the Barnier government was formed, it promised to be in agreement with other groups in the Parliament, but did not keep this promise.
Vallaud stated that the left, Prime Minister Barnier, never allowed amendments to the 2025 Budget bill and accused the government of not establishing a dialogue with the leftists.
Stating that they wanted a leftist prime minister, Vallaud addressed the members of the government and said, “This motion of no confidence is, first of all, your failure and the failure of Michel Barnier.” he said.
Vallaud said, “Mr. Prime Minister, it has become more convenient for you to talk to the extreme right rather than the left. We cannot accept this.” He noted that this is why they submitted a motion of no confidence.
“The motion of no confidence means that the socialists must fulfill their responsibility in finding the new government,” Boris Vallaud said. He said that the government’s compromise with the far right has come to an end.
COULD NOT REACH AN AGREEMENT ON THE BUDGET
Nearly two months after the early general election, hopes arose that the minority Barnier government, which was established in September, could calm the political turmoil in the country.
It was believed that Barnier, who previously served in the cabinet 4 times, represented his country in the European Commission twice and served as the European Union (EU) Brexit Chief Negotiator, could also bring “consensus” to the French political arena, where extreme right-wingers and leftists form two strong blocs.
However, it was known that the first tough test of the Barnier government would be the 2025 Budget bill. For France, whose public debt reached 112 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of the year, the government predicted a 40 billion euro savings and a 20 billion euro tax increase within the scope of the new budget.
The Barnier government faced the danger of becoming the shortest government of the 5th Republic period in France after it invoked the 3rd paragraph of Article 49 of the Constitution, which allowed it to pass the 2025 health insurance budget without a vote in the Parliament on December 2.
The leftist alliance NFP, as well as the extreme rightists, submitted two different motions of no confidence in reaction to this latest step of the government, with which they could not agree on the 2025 budget. While 185 deputies of the NFP alliance presented the motion of no confidence to the Parliament, a total of 140 deputies of the far-right RN, together with their supporters, submitted their own motion.
While the failure to reach an agreement on the budget caused the far-rightists to withdraw their implicit support to the government for about 3 months, the far-rightists announced that they would also support the no-confidence motion of the leftists.
The fall of the 73-year-old conservative Barnier and his government could have a negative impact not only on France, which is in trouble with public debt, but also on the entire Eurozone.
The last time a motion of no confidence in the cabinet was accepted by the Parliament in 1962 in France, causing the fall of then Prime Minister Georges Pompidou and his government.
THE PROCESS FROM EARLY GENERAL ELECTIONS TO THE BARNIER GOVERNMENT
Following the rise of the far-right in the European Parliament (EP) elections, no party or alliance could gain an absolute majority in the early general elections, in which Macron dissolved the national assembly and went.
Unyielding France (LFI), which forms the leftist NFP alliance, has 72 seats, Socialists and affiliates 66, Social and Environmental group 38, Republican Democratic Left 17 seats, Macron’s parliamentary alliance, Together for the Republic party, 99, Horizons party and Independents 31, Democrats (MODEM) won 36 deputies.
The third largest political group in the parliament was formed by the far-right National Union (RN) and its partners with 142 deputies. Barnier’s party, the Republican Right group, entered the parliament with 47 deputies and the LIOT group with 21 deputies.
Macron appointed Barnier, one of the Republicans with 47 deputies, as prime minister, instead of the leftist alliance that won the election. (AA)