France is heading towards an early presidential election after the government collapses due to the parliament no-confidence vote
The government of French Prime Minister Michel Barnier collapsed on Wednesday after parliament voted by a majority to withdraw confidence from it.
The French National Assembly, which is the lower house of parliament, discussed two motions of no confidence in the minority government, submitted by the left-wing alliance “New Popular Front” and the far-right represented by the “National Rally” party.
During the voting session, 331 out of 574 MPs supported the motion of no confidence in the government, which is more than the required majority.
Thus, Barnier’s government fell, after only 3 months of its appointment, making it the shortest government in the country’s modern history.
The session was tense, with prominent figures from the political blocs, especially left-winger Eric Cockerill and right-winger Marine Le Pen, giving speeches before the vote.
Politicians’ speeches were often interrupted by whistles and boos.
According to French media, President Emmanuel Macron, who was on his way back from three days of official talks in Saudi Arabia, said he “wants to appoint a prime minister to replace Barnier within 24 hours”.
The radical leftist party France Insoumise also called on French President Emmanuel Macron to resign on Wednesday evening, following a vote of no confidence in the government in the National Assembly.
Mathilde Panot, head of the France Insoumise group in the National Assembly, called on Emmanuel Macron to go and called for early presidential elections.
However, the fate of Macron, whose term runs until 2027, is not constitutionally linked to a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government.
