Collapse of France's Government: A Political Crisis Explained
07-12-2024
06:31 AM

What’s in today’s article?
- Why in News?
- Electoral System of France
- Background of the current political crisis in France
- Why did the French government fall?
- What does this mean for France?

Why in News?
French Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned after far-right and leftist lawmakers united to pass a no-confidence vote, toppling his government just three months after it took office.
This marks the first French government to fall via no-confidence in over 60 years, creating a political crisis and making Barnier the shortest-serving PM in modern French history.
His government will function in a caretaker role until a new one is appointed. President Emmanuel Macron is set to address the nation later.
Electoral System of France
- System of Governance
- France operates under a semi-presidential system established by the Fifth Republic in 1958.
- It combines elements of parliamentary and presidential systems, where both the President and Prime Minister hold executive powers.
- This dual executive system ensures a balance of power, with the President focusing on foreign policy and strategic decisions, while the Prime Minister handles domestic affairs.
- Structure of Parliament:
- The French Parliament is bicameral, consisting of:
- National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale): The lower house, with 577 deputies elected for five years through a two-round majority voting system.
- Senate (Sénat): The upper house, indirectly elected by an electoral college, primarily representing local authorities.
- The French Parliament is bicameral, consisting of:
- Role of the President:
- The President is the head of state and holds significant powers, including:
- Appointing the Prime Minister.
- Presiding over the Council of Ministers.
- Commanding the armed forces.
- Dissolving the National Assembly.
- Calling referenda or emergency powers under Article 16 of the Constitution.
- Role of the Prime Minister
- The Prime Minister is the head of government, responsible for implementing laws, coordinating ministerial work, and managing domestic policies.
- The PM is accountable to the National Assembly.
- Election of the President
- The President is directly elected by citizens for a five-year term through a two-round system.
- A candidate must secure an absolute majority in the first round or face a runoff between the top two candidates in the second round.
- Appointment of PM
- Selection by the President
- The President has the sole authority to appoint the Prime Minister.
- The Prime Minister's appointment does not require a vote of approval from the National Assembly.
- Typically, the appointee is someone capable of commanding a majority in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, to ensure legislative stability.
- The President has the sole authority to appoint the Prime Minister.
- Formation of Government
- Once appointed, the Prime Minister proposes the composition of the government (Cabinet), which the President approves.
- The Prime Minister and their government must present a general policy statement to the National Assembly and may seek a vote of confidence to establish legitimacy.
- Tenure and Dismissal
- The Prime Minister serves at the discretion of the President and can be dismissed at any time.
- The National Assembly can force the resignation of the Prime Minister through a vote of no confidence.
- Selection by the President
Background of the current political crisis in France
- Dissolution of Parliament
- Political instability stemmed from President Emmanuel Macron's decision to dissolve parliament in June after centrist forces suffered a defeat in the European Parliament elections.
- Fragmented Parliament
- Early elections created three roughly equal parliamentary blocs—left, centre, and far-right—none with a majority.
- The left-wing coalition, NFP, emerged as the largest force but was denied the right to form a government.
- Macron appointed Barnier as Prime Minister, leading to a fragile alliance of centrists and centre-right MPs.
- Barnier’s appointment led to a situation known as “cohabitation” in France — one in which the prime minister and the president belong to different parties.
- Barnier’s Strategy:
- Barnier attempted to gain far-right support by adopting rhetoric and policies addressing issues like crime, security, and immigration while introducing measures to ease the cost of living.
- However, this strategy failed to secure long-term backing.
Why did the French government fall?
- The French government fell after leftist lawmakers introduced a no-confidence motion in response to a controversial draft austerity budget.
- The budget aimed to save €60 billion through spending cuts and tax hikes to reduce the deficit.
- Prime Minister Michel Barnier invoked Article 49.3 of the Constitution to bypass parliamentary approval, triggering the motion.
What does this mean for France?
- Deep Political Uncertainty:
- The fall of the French government has plunged the nation into a period of instability, with fears of ending the year without a stable government or an approved 2025 budget.
- This uncertainty has rattled investors, briefly pushing France’s borrowing costs above those of Greece.
- Emergency Budget Provisions
- Despite the crisis, France’s constitution allows a caretaker government to pass emergency laws to extend the previous year’s budget, ensuring public sector workers continue to be paid and avoiding a US-style shutdown.
- Impact on the European Union
- The political upheaval in France adds to the challenges facing the European Union, already dealing with the collapse of Germany’s coalition government and concerns over maintaining unity ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Q.1. Why did the French government collapse?
The French government fell after Prime Minister Michel Barnier invoked Article 49.3 to bypass parliamentary approval of an austerity budget, triggering a no-confidence motion from leftist lawmakers.
Q.2. What are the implications of the French government's fall?
The collapse has led to political instability, investor concerns, and a potential delay in approving the 2025 budget, impacting France and adding to challenges in the EU.
News: What the collapse of France’s govt means, what happens now | INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION | The Guardian | Euro News