France PM Bayrou Faces Confidence Vote Amid Political Crisis

French Prime Minister François Bayrou faces a looming confidence vote expected to topple his minority government, marking the fourth government collapse in France within three years. Opposition parties across the political spectrum, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s hard-left and Marine Le Pen’s far-right factions, have declared their intention to vote against Bayrou, primarily due to his controversial budget proposals involving significant public spending cuts. This political instability threatens to deepen France’s economic challenges, including rising public debt, increasing borrowing costs, and strained public finances, at a critical time for Europe amid global geopolitical tensions. President Emmanuel Macron, who has ruled out dissolving parliament again, must consider appointing a new prime minister, potentially from the Socialist party, to navigate a fractured legislature and pass a budget. However, forming a stable coalition remains difficult given divided support from conservatives and liberals, and Macron’s liberal economic agenda faces strong opposition. The ongoing crisis underscores France's political fragmentation and the challenge of maintaining governance amid growing economic and social pressures.