(The sixth paragraph clarifies that it is billions of billions and not millions)
Paris (dpa -AfX) – In France, the government falls on this Monday when Prime Minister François Bayrou asks the question of trust in the National Assembly. The center politician surprisingly announced this step in the dispute over the savings budget proposed by him for the coming year.
Even before the start of the budget debate, a fundamental clarification with regard to the threatening financial situation of France was necessary, said Bayrou. The 74-year-old has been in office for less than even nine months. His center-right government has no majority in parliament. President Emmanuel Macron is also likely to weaken a defeat of the premier, even if his own post does not depend on the result of the vote.
Bayrou had probably seen a vote for trust as a liberation from difficult budget consultations. However, the assembled opposition announced without hesitation to deprive the center politician to the center when voting. Unlike a vote of no confidence, a simple majority is enough.
No agreement on austerity course
Despite the bad signs, Bayrou has had intensive discussions with politicians from all camps in the past few days. Should he still be able to survive the vote, this would be a considerable success for his search for a basic consensus in budgetary questions. The budget for the coming year would not be in dry cloths. The premier could still face a vote of no confidence in autumn if there is no agreement where savings should be made.
It is imperative that France straps the belt closer. The already high public debt has recently risen to around 114 percent of gross domestic product. France is thus the country in the euro area with the highest debt rate to Greece and Italy. In absolute numbers, France has the highest debt mountain in the euro area with around 3.3 trillion euros.
Exposed to withdrawal
With a budget deficit of 5.8 percent, the country is also far from the European limit of 3 percent. And the EU has a critical look at whether Paris is now getting serious about saving. The budget draft submitted by Bayrou in mid -July provided for a savings volume of 43.8 billion euros. The repayment payments for the debts alone threatened to become the largest budgetary post, even of the expenditure for education or defense, warned the premier.
If Bayrou loses the vote of trust, President Macron is expected to accept his application for resignation and asks him to remain in office until a successor is determined. A future prime minister will also have to create the unclear conditions in the National Assembly. Since the early election in the summer of 2024, when Macron had dissolved Parliament’s lower house after a slump in the European elections, neither the presidential camp nor the left or right block have had a majority.
Will a socialist become head of government?
Anyone who will be able to try their skill as the French head of government after Bayrous’s conservative predecessor Michel Barnier has been overturned after only three months. There is no favorite yet. It is considered possible that President Macron chooses a politician this time who either comes from the socialists’ warehouse or at least is accepted by them. Because with the support of the socialists, Macron’s warehouse could be able to advance the household and further legislative proposals.
It is expected that Macron will not be able to take a long time with the determination of a new prime minister, because France is facing a wave of strikes and protest. Shortly after Bayrous’s presentation of his savings budget, a call spread in France to block the whole country next Wednesday. Although it is still unclear who is behind the call “Bloquons Tout” (we block everything), the security forces are on alert. It is expected with up to 100,000 protesting and spectacular blockade and sabotage campaigns.
Massive strikes announced
For September 18, the unions then called on nationwide strikes and rallies against the government’s austerity course. In the meantime, these protests take the extent of a general strike, the Paris transport company and the railway are to be struck, and the air traffic controllers have also called for a strike. At the latest at this date, Macron should again want a new prime minister and a new government team at the start in order not to put themselves in the main focus of the protests, suspected French media./evs/dp/zb