France Elections

President Macron names centrist ally Bayrou as France's new prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist ally Francois Bayrou as prime minister, after a historic parliamentary vote ousted the previous government last week. Bayrou, 73, a crucial partner in Macron's centrist alliance, has been a well-known figure in French politics for decades. His political experience is seen as key in efforts to restore stability as no single party holds a majority at the National Assembly. Bayrou was recently cleared in a case alleging embezzlement of European Parliament funds. Macron vowed last week to remain in office until his term ends in 2027.

France's oldest prime minister serves shortest term: What happened?

French lawmakers oust Prime Minister Michel Barnier in a no-confidence vote just three months into his tenure, plunging the country into political uncertainty

French govt collapses as PM Barnier loses no-confidence vote in Parliament

France's far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July's legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France's modern Republic. I can tell you that it will remain an honor for me to have served France and the French with dignity, Barnier said in his final speech before the vote. This no-confidence motion will make ..

No-confidence vote could topple French govt for first time since 1962

France's far-right and left-wing forces are expected to join together Wednesday to oust Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes. If the motion succeeds, it would mark the first time a French government has been toppled this way in more than 60 years. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027 despite growing opposition calls for his departure amid the turmoil. However, Macron will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time this year, further reshaping France's political balance after his party's losses in July's legislative elections. The political drama comes as Macron, currently on a presidential visit to Saudi Arabia, dismissed the threat of a government collapse, according to French media reports Tuesday, saying discussions about his potential removal from office were make-believe politics. I'm here because I've been elected twice by the French people, Macron sai

French lawmakers set to oust PM Barnier in historic no-confidence vote

The impending collapse of the government will leave a hole at the heart of the European Union at a time when Germany is also weakened and in election mode, just weeks ahead of U.S. President-elect Don

French govt on the brink of collapse: Here are the possible futures

France's minority government appeared to be in its final hours Tuesday as opposition lawmakers from the left and the far right vowed to topple Prime Minister Michel Barnier's Cabinet. A no-confidence vote is scheduled Wednesday in parliament in the wake of a divisive budget debate, with a strong chance of being successful. If the motion passes, Barnier's Cabinet would be the shortest-lived government in France's modern history, marking an unprecedented period of political instability. President Emmanuel Macron would be in charge of appointing a new prime minister. Why is the situation so volatile? Following the June-July parliamentary elections, the National Assembly, France's powerful lower house of parliament, is divided into three major blocs: a left-wing coalition known as the New Popular Front, Macron's centrist allies and the far-right National Rally party. None won an outright majority. In September, Macron asked Barnier, a conservative, to form a government dominated by .

After taking office, France's minority govt survives no-confidence vote

France's minority government survived a no-confidence vote on Tuesday, two weeks after taking office, getting over the first hurdle placed by left-wing lawmakers to bring down new conservative Prime Minister Michel Barnier. The vote was a key test for Barnier, whose Cabinet is forced to rely on the far right's good will to be able to stay in power. The no-confidence motion was brought by a left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front. It received 197 votes, far from the 289 votes needed to pass. The far-right National Rally group, which counts 125 lawmakers, abstained from voting. France's minority government is expected to survive a no-confidence vote on Tuesday in a test for new conservative Prime Minister Michel Barnier, forced to rely on the far right's good will to be able to stay in power. It comes as Barnier's fragile government faces a major challenge to get a budget for next year approved with no majority at parliament. Following June-July parliamentary elections, the Natio

French President to hold talks with key players in bid to form new govt

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold talks with key political players in a bid to form a new government, after surprise legislative elections last month resulted in no party winning the majority at the National Assembly, France's powerful lower house of parliament. Macron's office said meetings with leaders of France's main political parties will be held on Friday and Monday at the Elysee presidential palace in order to keep moving towards the broadest and most stable majority possible. The appointment of a prime minister will follow on from these consultations and their conclusions, the statement said. A leftist coalition, the New Popular Front, won about one-third of the seats at the National Assembly, more than any other group, in last month's legislative elections. Macron's centrist alliance came out second and the far-right National Rally emerged in third position. The absence of any dominant political bloc -- and the prospect of a hung parliament and political paralysis

Will keep centrist caretaker govt on through Paris Olympics, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he will maintain the country's centrist caretaker government through the end of the Olympic Games in mid-August to avoid disorder. His announcement in a TV interview came shortly after the leftist coalition that won the most votes in this month's parliamentary elections selected little-known civil servant Lucie Castets as their choice for prime minister. Macron said the current caretaker government will handle current affairs during the Olympics," which run through Aug. 11. Until mid-August, we're not in a position to be able to change things because it would prompt disorder, he said. There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a new prime minister. The parliamentary elections left the National Assembly with no dominant political bloc in power for the first time in France's modern Republic. Macron, who has a presidential mandate until 2027, has the ultimate say in who is to be appointed as prime minister. However, the prime ...

France's new lawmakers set to pick a speaker as political turmoil persists

France's influential lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, will elect its speaker on Thursday evening after a chaotic early election called by President Emmanuel Macron produced a hung legislature. Two figures emerged as favorites after two nonconclusive rounds of vote: outgoing Speaker Yal Braun-Pivet of Macron's centrist party, and the candidate of the leftist coalition, communist lawmaker Andr Chassaigne. The parliamentary election earlier this month resulted in a split between three major political blocs: the New Popular Front leftist coalition, Macron's centrist allies and the far-right National Rally party. None of them won an outright majority. Thursday's opening session of the National Assembly comes two days after Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and other ministers, but asked them to handle affairs in a caretaker capacity until a new government is appointed, as France prepares to host the Paris Olympics at the end of the ...

French President Macron accepts formal resignation of PM Gabriel Attal

The development comes ahead of the Olympics that is due to start in France from next week

Macron refuses resignation of France PM for 'stability of country'

President Emmanuel Macron refused the resignation of France's prime minister, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after a chaotic election result left the government in limbo. Voters split the legislature on the left, centre and far right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government. The results from Sunday's vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union's second-largest economy. Macron gambled that his decision to call an early election would give France a moment of clarification, but the outcome showed the opposite, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics, when the country will be under an international spotlight. The French stock market fell upon opening before quickly recovering, possibly because markets had feared an outright victory for the far right or the leftist coalition. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had said he would remain in office if needed, but offered his resignation .

People in France welcome far right's defeat but fear rise in hate speech

For many French voters of diverse backgrounds, last Sunday's parliamentary election results were a relief, seemingly an embrace of the country's ethnic variety instead of a victory for xenophobic far-right forces. It was a moment of joy, a light at the end of the tunnel, Loven Bensimon said about the ballot results. She celebrated Sunday with thousands of others who rallied against the far right at Place de la Republique in Paris around a giant patchwork French flag that read, France is the fabric of migrations. But the fight is not over, said Bensimon, 27, a Black woman who works in communications. We have to fight against the racism we face every day, and which has been more visible in the past few weeks. Thought to be on the verge of seizing a majority in the National Assembly, the anti-immigration National Rally eventually came in third in Sunday's vote, after centrists and leftists joined forces. Candidates in three-way races dropped out of the runoff to favor the challenger ..

France Election Results: Hung parliament, what’s next?

Macron refuses French PM's resignation after chaotic election results

French President Emmanual Macron refused the resignation Monday of the country's prime minister, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after chaotic election results left the government in limbo. French voters split the legislature on the left, center and far-right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government. The results from Sunday's vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union's second-largest economy. President Emmanuel Macron gambled that his decision to call snap elections would give France a moment of clarification, but the outcome showed the opposite, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics thrusts the country on the international stage. France's main share index opened with a dip, but quickly recovered, possibly because markets had feared an outright victory for the far right or the leftist coalition. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had said he would remain in office if needed bu

French elections: Macron the gambler wins chance to play Kingmaker

Results for the final round of France's snap parliamentary election suggest voters have delivered an emphatic 'non' to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally

French elections 2024: Left leads, far-right rises, no majority secured

The left coalition in France won the most seats in Sunday's legislative elections, countering a far-right surge but failing to secure a majority

With French Parliament shifting to 'Left', risk of policy paralysis looms

The result delivered a stinging blow to President Emmanuel Macron and leaves the euro zone's second largest economy in limbo, heralding a period of political instability

Violence breaks out in France as left-wing coalition leads snap election

French election night turned turbulent as results showed a left-wing coalition poised to claim the majority of parliamentary seats

French voters deliver political deadlock as left falls short of majority

The awkward leftist alliance, which the hard left, Greens and Socialists hastily put together before the vote, was far from having an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat assembly