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France on brink of crisis as PM looks set to lose confidence vote

François Bayrou may be forced out of the role he has only held since December if, as expected, he loses today's vote, a scenario that could have dire consequences for the French economy and President Emmanuel Macron.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

France is facing the possibility of having its fifth prime minister in less than two years, an economic crisis and the threat of further civil unrest if a parliamentary deadlock isn't resolved in the coming days, reports Sky News.

French MPs will debate a vote of no confidence in the country's current prime minister, François Bayrou, on Monday afternoon.

If, as expected, he loses, it will deepen the country's economic and political malaise and could even put the future of Emmanuel Macron's presidency in doubt.

Mr Bayrou, a 74-year-old political veteran only in office since December, has proposed a drastic budget making around £40bn in savings, including cutting two of the country's annual public holidays.

This has been met by considerable opposition and even anger among the French public, even though Mr Bayrou and economists in Europe have warned that the EU's second-largest economy faces a Greek-style debt crisis if it doesn't act urgently.

Mr Bayrou called the unexpected confidence vote last month, hoping to boost his legitimacy and get his highly controversial economic package passed.

The Socialist Party is expected to join forces with its natural enemies in the far-right National Rally to oppose the prime minister.

Read more of this report from Sky News.