France's new government under pressure on multiple fronts

NEWS WIRES

22 September 2024 at 10:11 am·1-min read

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's new government is already feeling the pressure from opposition politicians on both sides amid growing threats of a no-confidence vote in parliament. Barnier's first main task is to submit a 2025 budget plan that addresses what he called France's "very serious" financial situation.

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's hard-won new government faced pressure from day one Sunday as threats of a no-confidence motion in parliament multiplied.

The long wait for a functioning government after President Emmanuel Macron called a snap general election ended after 11 weeks late Saturday with his appointment of a cabinet marking a clear shift to the right.

Opposition politicians from the left have already said they will challenge Barnier's government with a no-confidence motion, with far-right politicians also slamming its composition.

In the July election, a left-wing alliance called the New Popular Front (NFP) won the most parliamentary seats of any political bloc, but not enough for an overall majority.

Talks on the distribution of the 39 cabinet posts continued right up to Saturday's official announcement, insiders said, with moments of sharp tension between the president and his prime minister.