Bayrou's fall and a divided parliament hardly offer the stability Macron needs

"The centrist prime minister, Francois Bayrou, was toppled on Monday night in a parliamentary confidence vote, leaving Macron scrambling to appoint his third prime minister in a year, and the fifth since his second term as president began in 2022. This summer, Macron said France needed stability at home while playing a key role on the international stage. But that stability is proving elusive."

"Since Macron's gamble of calling a snap election last June, the parliament remains divided between three groups the left, the centre and the far right none of which has a majority. This has created deadlock on economic policy and divisions over the most basic political task: setting a budget for 2026. Bayrou fell because of his unpopular austerity budget to curb public debt."

"Bayrou lasted barely nine months and, before him, the rightwing Michel Barnier was toppled after only three. Even if Macron were to call another snap election which is not his favoured choice with Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally leading in the polls parliament could probably remain just as divided and deadlocked, without a clear majority. Macron, whose presidency runs until 2027, might now chose a prime minister closer to the centre-left."

Emmanuel Macron is confronting a damaging domestic political crisis after centrist prime minister Francois Bayrou was toppled in a confidence vote, forcing Macron to search for another prime minister. A snap election last June left parliament split among left, centre and far-right groups, with no majority and resulting deadlock on economic policy and on agreeing the 2026 budget. Bayrou resigned over an unpopular austerity plan aimed at curbing public debt. Successive short-lived prime ministers and entrenched policy disagreements make it unlikely any new appointment or another election will quickly restore a stable governing majority.

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