France in fresh political crisis As PM Lecorn Quits After 26 Days

France in fresh political crisis As PM Lecorn Quits After 26 Days

France has been plunged into a new political crisis with the defeat of Prime Minister François Bayrou at a confidence vote in the National Assembly.

The defeat – by 364 votes to 194 – means that Bayrou will on Tuesday present his government’s resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who must now decide how to replace him. Macron’s office said this would happen “in the coming days”.

The options include naming a new prime minister from the centre-right; pivoting to the left and finding a name compatible with the Socialist Party; and dissolving parliament so new elections are held.

Macron’s bitter enemies in the far-left France Unbowed party are calling for him personally to resign, but few commentators think it likely.

France is thus on its way to getting a fifth prime minister in less than two years – a dismal record that underscores the drift and disenchantment that have marked the president’s second term.

Bayrou’s fall came after he staked his government on an emergency confidence debate on the question of French debt.

He spent the summer warning of the “existential” threat to France if it did not start to tackle its €3.4 trillion (£2.9 trillion) liability.