Barnier government
Barnier government | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 45th Government of French Fifth Republic | |
 | |
| Date formed | 5 September 2024 |
| Date dissolved | 13 December 2024 |
| People and organisations | |
| President of the Republic | Emmanuel Macron |
| Prime Minister | Michel Barnier |
| No. of ministers | 42[a] |
| Member parties | |
| Status in legislature |
|
| History | |
| Election | 2024 French legislative election |
| Predecessor | Attal government |
| Successor | Bayrou government |
The Barnier government (French: gouvernement Barnier) was the 45th government of France during the period of the French Fifth Republic. It was formed in September 2024 after President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier as Prime Minister on 5 September, replacing Gabriel Attal. It was a caretaker government from 5 December until its dissolution on 13 December 2024.
On 5 September, Barnier was invited by Emmanuel Macron to "form a unity government".[1] With only 212 out of 577 seats in the National Assembly, the centre-right coalition began as one of the smallest minority governments in French history, having to rely in the lower house on support or neutrality from other parties, including the National Rally. It taking office also marked the first time under the Fifth Republic a government had a legislative majority in the Senate, but not in the National Assembly.[2]
On 4 December 2024, the Barnier government collapsed after the National Assembly passed a motion of no confidence in a 331–244 vote.[3] It was the first French government to be toppled by Parliament since 1962. Following the vote, Barnier and his government resigned the following day and continued as caretaker government until a new government was formed.[4][5]
Formation
[edit]Context
[edit]After the dissolution of the 16th legislature by Macron on 9 June 2024, the early legislative election took place on 30 June and 7 July. While the National Rally was originally anticipated to obtain a majority or plurality, it came third in seats behind the New Popular Front and Ensemble.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, having only served six months in office, offered his resignation to Macron, who accepted it on 16 July. The day before the opening of the Paris Olympic Games, the New Popular Front designated Lucie Castets to be its candidate for the premiership. In reaction, arguing that "no one won [the elections]", Macron announced the holding of consultations to form a government.[6]
On 16 August, at the end of the Olympic Games, Macron invited party leaders and presidents of parliamentary groups from both chambers to the Palais de l'Élysée on 23 August to try to form a government.[7] After the President met the party leaders and the presidents of parliamentary groups, Macron's office announced in a press release on 26 August that Castets would not be appointed prime minister.[8]
On 2 September, Emmanuel Macron met with Bernard Cazeneuve, former Socialist Prime Minister from 2016 to 2017, and Xavier Bertrand, current Hauts-de-France region president, as they were touted as top contenders for the premiership.[9] Faced with the risk of a successful vote of no confidence, the appointment of Michel Barnier was considered on 4 September.[10] On 5 September, almost two months after the second round of legislative elections, Macron appointed him as PM. While the NFP announced it would move a motion of no confidence against any government not led by them, the National Rally announced that it would wait for the general policy statement of the new government before deciding whether to support any motions of no confidence.[11]
Barnier's appointment was met with ire from the NFP and its supporters, who claimed that Macron's appointment of a conservative PM favorable to Macron's centrist policies was unrepresentative of the voting results, and amounted to a "denial of democracy". Left-wing parties called on their members to join the nationwide demonstrations, with the Socialist Party being the only main alliance member of the NFP to not explicitly call on its supporters to participate. Protests were held on 7 September 2024. According to organizers, roughly 300,000 participated, with about 160,000 protesting in Paris.[12] France's Interior Ministry estimated that there were 110,000 nationwide protesters, with 26,000 in Paris.[13]
On 9 October, the Barnier government survived a no-confidence vote brought by the New Popular Front, which fell 92 votes short of the 289 needed. The National Rally allowed the government to survive the motion by abstaining from the vote.[14]
Collapse
[edit].jpg) Michel Barnier (LR) | |
| Date | 4 December 2024 |
|---|---|
| Type | Political crisis |
| Cause | Disagreements over the 2025 government budget resulting in a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Michel Barnier |
| Participants | Barnier government Emmanuel Macron New Popular Front National Rally |
In mid-October 2024, Barnier presented his government's proposal for the 2025 government budget to the National Assembly. Focused on reducing the budget deficit, the proposal included a wide range of austerity measures, including forty billion euros of spending cuts and twenty billion euros of tax increases.[15]
The budget proposal received significant criticism from the left, with Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure accusing Barnier of "turning towards the far-right to avoid a no-confidence vote."[16]
On 2 December, Barnier pushed through a social security financing bill, using Article 49.3, which allows a vote of no confidence. A motion of no confidence was called by the New Popular Front and the National Rally resulting in the collapse of the government.[17][18]
The motion was debated on 4 December. In his closing remarks, Barnier claimed that it had been "an honor for me to have served France and the French with dignity" and that a no confidence vote would "make everything more serious and more difficult."[19]
The motion passed 331–244, toppling the government three months after its formation and making it the shortest-lived government in the history of the French Fifth Republic. It was also the first French government to lose a motion of no-confidence since Georges Pompidou's in 1962.[20]
Vote
[edit]| Motion of no confidence | ||
| Ballot → | 4 December 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Required majority → | 288 out of 575 
| |
331 / 573
| ||
| Abstentions or absentees[b] | 244 / 575
| |
| Source | ||
Ultimately, 331 deputies, a majority of the National Assembly, voted for no confidence in the government.[21]
All La France Insoumise and The Ecologists deputies voted in favour of non-confidence. All Socialist Party deputies, except for Sophie Pantel (who didn't participate), also voted in favour. 123 of the 124 National Rally deputies voted in favour (with Sophie Blanc not participating in the vote), as did all UDR deputies.
Caledonian Union deputy Emmanuel Tjibaou did not participate.[22]
Reactions
[edit]Financial
[edit]Moody's Ratings warned that the government's collapse "deepens the country's political stalemate" and "reduces the probability of a consolidation of public finances."[23]
Political commentators
[edit]Author Éric Brunet described the collapse as "jaw-droppingly French," saying that there was "no pragmatism. Just ideology. All the speeches were about values, about extremes. Our whole discourse is disconnected from reality."[24] Simon Toubeau of the University of Nottingham described the collapse as a "persistence of the competitive and majoritarian instincts of France's politicians that engendered this crisis," adding that while Macron was "content to partner with the others to keep the RN out of power, these noble sentiments evaporated when it came to governing."[25]
Politicians
[edit]Republican politician and minister of the interior in the Barnier government Bruno Retailleau stated that the right "cannot make a compromise with the left" in forming a new government.[26]
National Rally leader Marine Le Pen stated that she did not want Macron to resign, but called on him to "respect the voice of voters and show respect for political forces and respect for elections."[21]
Senator Anne Souyris of The Ecologists stated that the collapse proved that Macron "has not taken stock of what is happening" in France.[27]
Unions and NGOs
[edit]General Confederation of Labour secretary general Sophie Binet claimed that Macron's "supply-side policy is leading us into a wall. It is a catastrophe, an economic and social disaster."[27]
Composition
[edit]Barnier's ministers were named on 21 September, formed of centrists and conservatives.[28] All ministers are placed in the order of precedence defined by the Order of the Protocol defined by the Elysée when the government was announced.[citation needed]
Ministers
[edit]Deputy Ministers
[edit]Secretary of State
[edit]| Portfolio | Attached minister | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Secretary for Citizenship and Anti-Discrimination | Minister of the Interior | Othman Nasrou | LR | |
| Secretary of State for Francophonie and International Partnerships | Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs | Thani Mohamed Soilihi | RE | |
| State Secretary for Consumer Affairs | Minister of Economy, Finances and Industry | Laurence Garnier | LR | |
| Secretary of State for Equality between women and men | Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy, and Equality between women and men | Salima Saa | SE | |
| Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies | Minister of Higher Education and Research | Clara Chappaz | SE | |
Aftermath
[edit]On 5 December, over 130,000 public sector workers held a one-day strike in protest against Barnier's budget proposal, with the aim of warning Macron that doubling-down on the proposed austerity measures would cause further unrest.[29]
At 19:00 that day, Macron gave a televised speech addressing the government's collapse.[30] In the speech, Macron vowed to stay in office until the end of his term in 2027, to name a new prime minister shortly, and to present an emergency law to ensure taxes could still be collected and a government shutdown avoided in the new year. He also accused the National Rally and the New Popular Front of uniting in an "anti-republican front," saying that "they chose disorder."[31]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Does not include the Prime Minister.
- ^ In the French National Assembly, motions of no confidence are voted on by open ballot, with only those in favor of the motion taking part in the vote. Since a majority of the entire membership is required, those who are absent or do not cast a ballot are de facto voting against.
References
[edit]- ^ "Michel Barnier nommé Premier ministre". Les Echos (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Pierre Januel (8 October 2024). "Gouvernement Barnier : le Sénat, pilier du gouvernement". La Croix (in French).
- ^ "France's Prime Minister Loses No-Confidence Vote and Is Expected to Resign". New York Times (in French). 4 December 2024.
- ^ "Barnier to resign as French PM after government collapse". BBC News Online. 5 December 2024.
- ^ "French PM Barnier Arrives At Elysee To Submit Resignation To Macron". Agence France-Presse. 5 December 2024.
- ^ "Résultats législatives 2024 : Emmanuel Macron lance les grandes manœuvres (et assure que « personne n'a gagné »)". 20 Minutes (in French). 10 July 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Emmanuel Macron convie les chefs de partis le 23 août, pas de Premier ministre dans l'immédiat". La Voix du Nord (in French). 16 August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Nouveau gouvernement : Emmanuel Macron refuse de nommer Lucie Castets et lance de nouvelles consultations". Les Echos (in French). 26 August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Matignon: Macron "test" Cazeneuve and Bertrand, the Beaudet surprise emerges". TV5 Monde (in French). 2 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024..
- ^ "Nouveau Premier ministre: Michel Barnier, nouvelle "piste sérieuse" d'Emmanuel Macron?". BFMTV (in French). 4 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "L'ancien ministre Michel Barnier, figure des Républicains, nommé Premier ministre par Emmanuel Macron". Franceinfo (in French). 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Irish, John (7 September 2024). "Thousands protest in France against Macron's choice of prime minister". Reuters. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Khalil, Hafsa (7 September 2024). "France sees thousands protest over new centre-right PM Barnier". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "France's minority government survives no-confidence vote as far right refuses to back motion". BFMTV. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ "French PM Barnier unveils deficit-slashing 2025 budget". France24. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "" Il aura la censure qu'il mérite " : vives réactions à gauche face aux annonces de Barnier sur l'aide médicale d'Etat". Le Nouvel Obs. 28 November 2024. Archived from the original on 7 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Millar, Paul (2 December 2024). "Why the French government is headed for collapse". France24. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "France in political crisis after no-confidence vote topples government". The Guardian. 4 December 2024.
- ^ Nouvian, Tom (4 December 2024). "French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962". AP News. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "En direct: 331 députés votent la censure du gouvernement de Michel Barnier, le premier ministre va remettre sa démission à Emmanuel Macron". Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ a b Walker, Amy (5 December 2024). "French government collapses in no-confidence vote". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Moisset, Benjamin (5 December 2024). "Motion de censure : votre député a-t-il voté pour renverser le gouvernement ?". Le Nouvel Obs. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "Macron hunts for new French PM after lawmakers topple Barnier government". France24. 5 December 2024. Archived from the original on 5 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Schofield, Hugh (5 December 2024). "Barnier downfall threatens to set a pattern for what lies ahead". BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Toubeau, Simon (5 December 2024). "Why did the French government fall and what happens next?". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "Nouveau Premier ministre : Retailleau affirme que " la droite ne pourra faire aucun compromis avec la gauche "". Le Nouvel Obs. 6 December 2024. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ a b Chadwick, Lauren (5 December 2024). "Civil servants in France go on strike after no-confidence vote topples government". Euronews. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Agence France-Presse (21 September 2024). "Macron names right-leaning French government under Michel Barnier". The Guardian.
- ^ "Journée de grève et de mobilisation dans la fonction publique en France". France24. 5 December 2024. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ Macron, Emmanuel (5 December 2024). "Adresse aux Français". Élysée. Archived from the original on 7 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ "Macron blames alliance of 'extreme left and extreme right' for fall of French government". France24. 5 December 2024. Archived from the original on 5 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Ministers of Michel Barnier at Wikimedia Commons
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