Paris, 5 Dec

France's far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together on 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 everything more serious and more difficult. That's what I'm sure of,” he said.

Opposition to Barnier's proposed budget

Wednesday's crucial vote rose from fierce opposition to Barnier's proposed budget.

The National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, is deeply fractured, with no single party holding a majority. It comprises three major blocs: Macron's centrist allies, the left-wing coalition New Popular Front, and the far-right National Rally. Both opposition blocs, typically at odds, are uniting against Barnier, accusing him of imposing austerity measures and failing to address citizens' needs.

Speaking on TF1 television after the vote, National Rally leader Marine Le Pen said “we had a choice to make, and our choice is to protect the French” from a “toxic” budget.

Le Pen also accused Macron of being “largely responsible for the current situation,” adding that “the pressure on the President of the Republic will get stronger and stronger.”

Speaking at the National Assembly ahead of the vote, hard-left lawmaker Eric Coquerel had called on the government to “stop pretending the lights will go out,” noting the possibility of an emergency law to levy taxes from Jan. 1, based on this year's rules.

“The special law will prevent a shutdown. It will allow us to get through the end of the year by delaying the budget by a few weeks,” Coquerel said.