French government on the brink after budget outcry

Left and far-right parties to vote for no-confidence motion against PM Michel Barnier after he rammed through bill

- CHRIS STEVENSON

The French government is on the verge of collapse, with Prime Minister tomorrow after he used special constitutional powers to push through his austerity budget.

Both the far-right National Rally (RN) and an alliance of leftwing parties – comprising the Socialists, Greens, far left and Communist party – have said they will vote for a no-confidence motion against Mr Barnier, which was lodged yesterday afternoon. That will force the resignation of Mr Barnier after just two and a half months in post.

No French government has been forced out by such a vote since 1962.

Their move comes after Mr Barnier rammed the social security bill through parliament using article 49.3 of the French constitution, which allows the text of a bill to be passed without a vote. A last-minute concession was not enough to win support for the bill from RN.

The party’s leader, Marine Le Pen, said her party would table its own no-confidence motion but would also vote for any similar bill put forward by other parties. “The French have had enough,” she said. “Maybe they thought with Michel Barnier things would get better, but they were even worse.”