Paris, 4 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's three-month-old minority government was toppled on Wednesday in a no-confidence motion supported by left-wing and far-right opposition lawmakers.

Marine Le Pen's far-right nationalists and a leftist alliance voted together to oust the government. In total, 331 of the 577 lawmakers in the National Assembly - France's lower house of parliament - withdrew their support for Barnier.

Barnier is now obliged to submit his resignation and that of the government to President Emmanuel Macron.

The collapse, which was precipitated by a fight over Barnier's austerity budget, plunges one of Europe's most powerful players into deeper political turmoil amid major economic challenges.

A new parliamentary election cannot be held until a year after the last vote in July, according to France's constitution.

None of the political blocs holds an absolute majority in parliament, meaning it is unlikely that anything stronger than a minority government will be able to be formed.

The last time a French government was ousted in a no-confidence vote was in 1962.

Barnier, a veteran conservative French politician who is known for having led the European Union's talks with Britain over the country's exit from the bloc, was picked by Macron to be prime minister in September.

Barnier took up the job after weeks of uncertainty triggered by Macron's decision to hold snap parliamentary elections in June and July in an attempt to shore up his support.

His defeat on Wednesday was expected and came after the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) and Le Pen's National Rally (RN) both tabled no-confidence motions against him.

The first motion voted on by lawmakers - and the one that brought the government down - was from the left-wing alliance. It passed with the support of Le Pen's party.

They were angered by his decision on Monday to use special powers to push through a part of his 2025 budget - which features tax hikes and government spending cuts - without parliamentary approval.

France, the second-largest eurozone economy, is facing a yawning budget deficit that is wracking French stocks and bonds and pushing up borrowing costs.

Macron's office is itself unaffected by the vote of no confidence, but his own future is likely to be called in question, as he appointed Barnier and his party is involved in government.

The opposition is likely to try to pressure Macron into calling an early presidential election, currently due in 2027.

But the president has repeatedly stated that he wants to remain head of state until the end of his term.

After the collapse of Germany's government last month, two of Europe's main players may now grind to a political standstill due to domestic crises.

Photo: EPA