Overview

• President Emmanuel Macron accepted François Bayrou’s resignation after the government lost a confidence vote by 364 to 194 in the National Assembly.
• Macron’s office says a new prime minister will be named in the coming days, with Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported as the leading contender.
• Bayrou’s fall followed an effort to push roughly €44 billion in 2026 savings, set against a deficit near double the EU’s 3% cap and debt around 114% of GDP.
• Nationwide “Let’s Block Everything” protests are planned for Wednesday with authorities preparing to deploy about 80,000 police, and unions have called strikes for September 18.
• Investors are watching a Fitch sovereign rating review this week after French bond yields climbed, while the far-right National Rally renews calls for a snap election that Macron has ruled out for now.