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.”
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin December 03, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin December 03, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Absurd image that sums up Fifa's 'tinpot dictatorship'
Miguel Delaney explains how the Gianni Infantino-led endeavour to hand Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup finals perfectly encapsulated the depths to which football has sunk
Liverpool spoilt for choice in battle to look after No 1
The big screen in the corner of the quaint Estadi Montilivi displayed some pre-match entertainment.
City slump to defeat and Champions League peril
It amounts to miserable seven for Pep Guardiola.
Sublime Saka scores brace as Gunners boss Monaco
Bukayo Saka continues to show the way, as well as new levels. Arsenal have recently been a team in need of a bit of stability and sense of comfort, and this 3-0 win over AS Monaco duly offered them a straight line into the Champions League last 16.
Boots owner in negotiations with US private equity firm
Walgreens, the US-based owner of Boots, is in talks to sell itself to a private equity company, casting uncertainty over the future of the venerable high street chain.
Ukrainian women pulled alive from rubble seven hours after Russian strike
Rescue crews working through the night have pulled two Ukrainian women from the rubble more than seven hours after a Russian missile struck a private medical clinic in southern Zaporizhzhia city, killing six people and injuring 22 others, Ukraine’s emergency services said.
Putin helped Assad escape Syria via Russian airbase
Russian intelligence agents persuaded Bashar al-Assad to flee Syria for Moscow, having become convinced that he would lose against the insurgents rapidly advancing on Damascus, sources have said.
Syrians vow to rebuild their town after Assad's brutality
Bel Trew in Jobar, north of Damascus, meets residents returning home for the first time in more than a decade
British teenager jailed in Dubai over holiday romance
A British teenager has been jailed in Dubai for having sex with a 17-year-old girl while the pair were on holiday.
NHS patient awarded £70k after drug made him gamble
The NHS has paid out tens of thousands to a man who developed an “uncontrollable” gambling problem after he was given a common Parkinson’s drug, The Independent can reveal.