The French prime minister, François Bayrou, has handed in his resignation after losing a confidence vote that has plunged France into government collapse and political crisis.
Emmanuel Macron has said he will appoint a new prime minister in the coming days, who would then have to form a new government. This will be the third French prime minister in a year, whose first task will be the major challenge of agreeing a budget among a divided parliament.
About 11,000 protesters gathered in front of town halls across France on Monday night to celebrate Bayrou’s ousting with what they called “Bye bye Bayrou” farewell drinks.
Many of those present used the gatherings as an opportunity to plan for a day of action on Wednesday, which has been given the name: “Block Everything”. About 80,000 police will be mobilised for the protests, which could feature roadblocks and blockades of fuel depots.
Since the French president called a snap election last year, the parliament is split between three groups – left, centre and far right – with no absolute majority. It is uncertain who as prime minister could find consensus on the budget without also facing a similar ousting. The centrist Bayrou, 74, lasted nine months in office before being ousted over his unpopular debt-reduction budget. Before him, the rightwing Michel Barnier lasted only three months until he was ousted over the budget.
Gabriel Attal, a former prime minister and head of Macron’s centrists, told France Info radio that France was suffering from an “absolutely distressing spectacle” of instability in which “the government falls every three to six months.” He said “we have to get out of this spiral”, adding there had to be a form of compromise agreed between all the political blocs before a new prime minister was appointed.
Agence France-Presse, citing a source close to Macron, said the president’s personal inclination could be to name a long-serving cabinet minister he trusted from his own centrist grouping, such as the justice minister, Gérald Darmanin, or the defence minister, Sébastien Lecornu, both of whom have backgrounds on the right. “In the end he will stay within his comfort zone,” said an ex-minister.
Darmanin and Lecornu may be seen as too rightwing to be palatable to the left. Some kind of pact with the Socialist party is seen as a possible way out of the impasse.
One option could be a figure who is aligned with the left but not part of the Socialist party and who could also be acceptable to Macron’s centrists, such as Bernard Cazeneuve, a former prime minister and one-time member of the Socialist party.
Also seen as a possible contender is the finance minister, Eric Lombard, an ex-banking boss who is also a former Socialist party member.
