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Bayrou Survives No-Confidence Vote as Far-Right Holds the Balance

His minority administration depends on far-right tolerance ahead of contentious budget debates

French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou and ministers pose for a family photo in the gardens of the Elysee Palace before the weekly cabinet meeting in Paris, France, July 2, 2025. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson
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Overview

  • Bayrou survived the July 1 no-confidence motion with only 189 votes for censure against the 289 required to topple his government.
  • The Socialist Party filed the motion after pension reform talks collapsed, ending the conditional support it had offered Bayrou’s government.
  • Marine Le Pen’s National Rally withheld support, ensuring Bayrou’s survival while preserving leverage over upcoming budget votes.
  • His cabinet must now rally a fractured National Assembly to pass a €40 billion savings plan, a process likely to trigger additional censure attempts.
  • A successful vote against Bayrou could force President Macron to appoint his seventh prime minister in the face of persistent parliamentary turmoil.