French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has lost a confidence vote in France's National Assembly, collapsing the government and plunging the European power into a fresh political crisis.
Mr Bayrou, who is now expected to tender his resignation, was the country's fourth prime minister in two years.
The outgoing prime minister called the confidence vote in an attempt to break a political deadlock over France's spiralling debt crisis.
During the vote in France's lower house, the National Assembly, 364 deputies voted that they had no confidence in Mr Bayrou's government, while just 194 gave it their confidence.
French President Emmanuel Macron will appoint a new prime minister in the "coming days", his office has said.
"In line with article 50 of the constitution, the prime minister must submit the resignation of his government," said speaker Yael Braun-Pivet.
Multiple news agencies reported that Mr Bayrou would submit his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday morning, local time.
Mr Bayrou called the confidence vote over the pressure France is facing to repair its finances, with last year's deficit nearly double the EU's 3 per cent limit of economic output and public debt reaching 113.9 per cent of GDP.
The move blindsided even his political allies, and was aimed at breaking a lengthy stand-off over his austerity budget, which foresees almost 44 billion euros ($78 billion) of spending cuts.
Defending his decision to call the high-risk confidence vote, Mr Bayrou told the National Assembly France's debt and deficit levels were "life-threatening".
"The biggest risk was not to take one, to let things continue without anything changing … and have business as usual," he said.
France mired in political deadlock
Leaders of rival political parties are calling on Mr Macron to hold fresh parliamentary elections.
France has been mired in political crisis since 2023, and the most recent parliamentary elections last year failed to produce a clear governing majority for any political bloc.
Mr Bayrou is the sixth prime minister under Mr Macron since his 2017 election but the fifth since 2022.
Under the French system, presidents — who are elected separately from parliamentarians — are tasked with nominating a prime minister in the French Assembly.
Mr Macron could now nominate a politician from his own centrist minority-ruling group or from the ranks of conservatives as the next premier, but that would mean doubling down on a strategy that has failed to yield a stable alliance.
The next government's most pressing task will be to pass a budget, the same challenge Mr Bayrou faced when he took office.
Opposing blocs rail against government
The centrist coalition which Mr Bayrou was part of cannot rule with a majority, and is therefore reliant on the support of either the right-wing or left-wing blocs.
Speaking on the confidence motion, Marine Le Pen, who leads the far-right National Rally (RN) party, told the French Assembly "the legislative branch is paralysed by a lack of a majority".
"The pitiful spectacle of a collapse for the country, a disaster for the French people today, and … the consequences will affect future generations for the nation," she said.
"The country is experiencing a latent social crisis that could erupt at any moment.
"It is in a tight spot, facing a financial crisis, all against an unstable international backdrop and with a war on Europe's doorstep.
"This situation should be enough to dissolve it."
Ms Le Pen's party is considered to have a significant chance of winning more seats in the event of election.
But the RN leader is also fighting for her political survival, having been barred by the courts from running at the upcoming presidential elections in 2027 after being convicted for embezzlement.
A Paris court ruled on Monday that her appeal against those charges will be heard on January 13, keeping her presidential hopes alive.
Meanwhile, Socialist Party President Boris Vallaud told the National Assembly he wanted to be offered the chance to govern.
"There is only one person responsible for the crisis, the debacle and the unrest in our country: the President of the Republic and his blind followers, of whom you, Prime Minister, are the foremost advocate," he said.
"[The socialists are] ready, together with the left and the ecologists, to govern and strive for political stability and fiscal, social and territorial justice.
"We are ready if [Mr Macron] comes in search of us."
AFP/Reuters
