Is West About to Get Another ‘Lame Duck’ President as French Gov’t Faces Collapse?

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who formed a minority government in September after France's snap parliamentary elections in summer, is now facing a no-confidence vote.

Barnier used executive powers under Article 49.3 of the French constitution to force a bill on social security financing through parliament without a vote. The bill sought to deliver an estimated €60 billion ($62. 9 billion) in tax rises and spending cuts. Even after Barnier scrapped a previously planned hike in electricity tax and plans for a more stringent prescription drug reimbursement policy, the bill was rejected by the opposition parties.

Both the left-wing coalition NFP and Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally (RN) party announced they would file separate censure motions, with the confidence vote presumably set for Wednesday.

Mathilde Panot, president of the left-wing opposition party France Unbowed (LFI), said on Monday that "We are now experiencing political chaos as a result of both Barnier's government and Emmanuel Macron's presidency."

Marine Le Pen told reporters:

If the no-confidence vote succeeds, Barnier will have to tender his resignation.

The French government can remain in caretaker capacity while President Emmanuel Macron faces the challenge of picking a new PM with cross-party appeal.