French Government Collapses After No-Confidence Vote

France's political crisis deepened as Prime Minister François Bayrou was ousted following a no-confidence vote supported by 364 lawmakers, marking the collapse of President Emmanuel Macron’s third prime minister in under two years. Bayrou’s unpopular €44 billion austerity package, which aimed to reduce public spending by 2026, triggered widespread backlash and parliamentary rejection, reflecting longstanding frustrations with France's mounting debt and economic challenges. The government’s fall has stalled major legislative projects, including public broadcasting reform and a bill on the right to end life for terminally ill patients. Opposition leaders from both the right-wing National Rally and the left-wing La France Insoumise called for Macron’s resignation, although he remains committed to serving out his term. Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally and a top presidential contender, remains barred from running due to a recent conviction, a move criticized as politically motivated and likened by former U.S. President Donald Trump to similar legal tactics against populist figures. As Macron faces limited options for appointing a new prime minister, France stands at a crossroads amid political instability and growing public unrest.