Following a no-confidence vote that ousted his prime minister, the French president announced he will soon name a successor.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Thursday his intention to serve his full term until 2027. He stated that a new prime minister will be appointed within days, succeeding the dismissed Michel Barnier.
The National Assembly’s no-confidence vote against Barnier marked the shortest premiership in recent French history, preceded only by Georges Pompidou’s in 1962.
In his initial public statement after the political upheaval, Macron criticized the opposition New Popular Front (NPF) and National Rally (RN) for their alliance in the vote, labeling it an “anti-Republican front.”
“I will not bear responsibility for the actions of others,” he declared.
Rejecting opposition calls for his resignation, the president reaffirmed his commitment to completing his mandate. He ruled out early elections until at least July, in accordance with the French constitution, which doesn’t mandate presidential resignation after a government’s dismissal.
Macron previously asserted his intention to remain in office until May 2027, regardless of the summer parliamentary election results. Marine Le Pen of the RN had argued that only Macron’s resignation could prevent a hung parliament for the remainder of his term.
Barnier’s September appointment, a 73-year-old conservative and former Brexit negotiator, angered the NPF, a party Macron strategically utilized to marginalize the RN. The Macron-backed minority government has since maintained its precarious position by navigating between opposing factions.
The crisis culminated over a social security budget proposal where Barnier proposed €40 billion ($41.87 billion) in spending cuts and €20 billion in tax increases to address a significant deficit. The RN threatened a no-confidence vote unless the government conceded to their key demands.
France, the Eurozone’s second-largest economy, faces a substantial debt burden, with its government and parliament experiencing unprecedented fragility, according to Politico.
Barnier will serve as caretaker prime minister until Macron appoints a replacement, a process that took nearly two months following July’s parliamentary elections. Another vote is prohibited by the French constitution for at least a year.
Despite his bloc’s second-place finish in the election, the president retains the sole authority to appoint the prime minister, who isn’t obligated to belong to the largest party.