French Prime Minister François Bayrou lost a vote of confidence in parliament. The prime minister had been in office for nine months. At the end of August, he announced that he would seek a vote of confidence in connection with his proposed debt reduction measures.  

The government received the support of only 194 MPs, while 364 voted against.

The cuts were intended to reduce France's national debt by €44 billion.

France's financial situation is indeed difficult. According to the French statistical service (INSEE), the country's debt amounted to €3.345 trillion at the end of the first quarter of 2025. While in the early 2000s the debt was 60% of GDP, it has grown to 116% this year.

Bayrou became the second French prime minister in a row to suffer such a fate, after Michel Barnier was dismissed in December, just three months after taking office. | BGNES