France’s President Emmanuel Macron named Francois Bayrou as his new prime minister to run his government on Friday, his office said, after his previous choice for the role served the shortest term in modern French history amid an entrenched political crisis.
Macron appointed Bayrou after Michael Barnier was ousted last week in a no-confidence vote in France’s National Assembly − its Parliament − prompted by budget cuts, tax raises aimed at cutting France’s enormous deficit and clashing centrist, right- and left-wing visions over how to fix France’s divided society.
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Bayrou, 73, like Barnier, is a political centrist. It wasn’t immediately clear why Macron believes Bayrou will have more luck making progress with France’s deadlocked National Assembly. Bayrou is Macron’s fourth prime minister in a year. Macron himself is half-way through his second term.
Bayrou takes up the job after Barnier served as France’s prime minister for just three months, the briefest occupancy for the post since 1958. In France, the prime minister is in charge of the day-to-day operating of the government, tabling laws and making sure they are implemented. The president takes care of defense and foreign affairs. Macron’s job as president is not at risk. Unless he resigns. His term expires in 2027.
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Macron has been seeking to forge a path forward for France’s government after he called a snap parliamentary election in June that ended in political stalemate.
Right-wing parties came in second after left-wing ones followed by Macron’s centrist alliance. Left-wing voters in France are angry at Macron for his reforms to the country’s welfare state, among other issues. Right-wing forces want less immigration, a tougher stance on crime and more economic opportunities.
In the wake of Bayrou’s appointment, far-right leader Marine Le Pen urged him to “do what his predecessor didn’t want to do” and pass a “reasonable” budget bill.
“Any other approach,” Le Pen wrote on X, “would only be a continuation of Macronism, twice rejected at the ballot box, could only lead to impasse and failure.”
France has a budget deficit of about 6% of GDP, which is more than twice the limit permitted by European Union spending rules. Because no political party or grouping has an outright majority of lawmakers in France’s National Assembly, Bayrou’s first task will be to form a government that reflects the political majority and keep it in power without it being toppled again by another no-confidence vote.
“The French are exasperated by this bad movie,” said Carole Delga, a French lawmaker from a left-wing party who some in French political circles consider to be a potential candidate for the presidency in 2027.
