Overview

• Prime Minister François Bayrou confirmed he will seek a confidence vote on 8 September in a special parliamentary session.
• Rassemblement National, liberals, Communists and Greens said they will vote against, and Socialist deputy Philippe Brun said his group is likely to oppose rather than abstain.
• Marine Le Pen called for dissolution of the Assembly as RN leader Jordan Bardella declared the party ready for a return to the polls.
• Unions set a general strike for 10 September and an inter‑union petition opposing the budget surpassed 200,000 signatures within two days.
• Markets turned lower after Bayrou’s announcement, with the CAC 40 down about 1.5% and the 10‑year French yield edging up, while Bayrou warned of an “immediate danger” from debt and said Macron signed off on his plan.