Tough Times Ahead for French PM Bayrou as Confidence Vote Looms

Wed Oct 22 2025 09:11:21 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

French PM François Bayrou faces a challenging vote of confidence from opposition parties, rejecting support amidst calls for deep budget cuts.

French Prime Minister François Bayrou is battling to maintain his position as opposition parties firmly refuse to back him in an upcoming vote of confidence on September 8, related to substantial budget cuts aimed at addressing a growing deficit. Bayrou, leading a minority government since last December, expressed urgency for decisive action but faces significant resistance from multiple political factions. Meanwhile, a public movement against the budget cuts is gaining traction, which may complicate his efforts further.

French opposition parties have declared they will not support Prime Minister François Bayrou ahead of a confidence vote on September 8 that concerns proposed budget cuts. Bayrou, who has been at the helm of a minority government since last December, labeled the situation as a 'worrying and decisive moment', suggesting that failing to act would be riskier than the proposed cuts.

The leaders of various opposition parties, including the National Rally and leftist groups like the Socialists, have indicated their intention to vote against him. Adding to his concerns, protests under the 'Bloquons tout' movement are set to occur in France, aimed at opposing the proposed budget slashes.

Bayrou's decision to call for the vote comes shortly after he had unveiled plans for cuts of nearly €44 billion, igniting backlash and financial market reactions, with a significant drop in France's CAC-40 share index.

In the face of these challenges, Bayrou asserted that it would take collective effort to navigate the country's fiscal future, while Finance Minister Eric Lombard called for a balanced approach toward recovery for the coming years. Meanwhile, two national holidays could face cuts as part of the government's efforts to navigate the budget crisis.

The political landscape remains fraught for Bayrou, as he must now scramble for support while public sentiment appears to be shifting towards opposition against his government.