Macron Faces Urgent Pressure to Appoint New PM Amid Protests

Tue Oct 21 2025 04:19:45 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

French President Emmanuel Macron is under immense pressure to appoint a new prime minister after François Bayrou's resignation, coinciding with nationwide protests.

After François Bayrou resigned following a no-confidence vote, French President Emmanuel Macron is urged to quickly appoint a new prime minister. With protests planned by the group Bloquons Tout against austerity measures, Macron must navigate a hung parliament with no clear majority and increasing discontent. The political scene is tense, as authorities anticipate large-scale demonstrations and criticism of the current government's budget cuts. Macron's decision is expected in the coming days as the country seeks stability amid unrest.

French President Emmanuel Macron has come under pressure to name a new prime minister quickly after François Bayrou lost a vote of no confidence and on Tuesday handed him his resignation.

The fall of Bayrou's government came as no surprise, as a majority in France's hung parliament staunchly opposed Bayrou's effort to address France's spiraling debt with €44bn (£38bn) budget cuts.

However, Macron still faces one of the highest budget deficits in the eurozone and growing criticism from political opponents.

France is also anticipating protests on Wednesday from a grassroots movement called Bloquons Tout - 'Let's Block Everything', with authorities planning to deploy 80,000 police officers.

As Monday's confidence vote was instigated by Bayrou himself, Macron has had weeks to prepare for his next steps. He has already indicated that he will appoint a new prime minister soon—making it the fifth such appointment since he began his second term in 2022.

The new prime minister will have to navigate a hung parliament divided into three factions, none of which holds a majority—many are even calling for fresh elections rather than a new appointment.

Speculation on possible candidates has begun, with names like Assembly speaker Yaël Braun-Pivet and current defense minister Sébastien Lecornu emerging as frontrunners. Nonetheless, experts believe Macron will need to garner support from the left or center-left factions to enable the new prime minister to push through essential budget reforms.

Macron ally and ex-prime minister Gabriel Attal has expressed concern over the 'state of permanent instability' in France and suggested the need for a negotiator to bridge gaps among political leaders.

Despite opposition calls for new elections, Macron remains focused on quickly announcing a new prime minister. The urgency reflects France’s need for stability amidst market tensions, protests, and industrial actions.

On Wednesday, authorities are bracing for potential disruptions as Bloquons Tout urges a nationwide standstill against austerity measures and political discontent. While estimates vary, interior minister Bruno Retailleau acknowledged that up to 100,000 people could participate in the demonstrations.

With credit rating agency Fitch set to review France's status later this week, officials are on high alert over potential ramifications on borrowing costs, particularly as the public debt recently rose to €3.3 trillion, accounting for 114% of the nation’s GDP. Retailleau stressed the necessity of appointing a prime minister swiftly to maintain order.

Meanwhile, incidents of racism are causing concern, as pig heads were found outside several mosques in Paris—a move criticized by officials as detrimental to the nation’s societal fabric.