Paris, 2 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - France's centre-right government is facing the threat of being overthrown by the opposition in a dispute over an austerity budget.

The left-wing alliance in the National Assembly has submitted a motion of no confidence against the Cabinet of Prime Minister Michel Barnier. A vote on this could take place in parliament as early as Wednesday.

Barnier's government does not have an absolute majority in the National Assembly. Initially, the government was tolerated by the right-wing nationalists led by Marine Le Pen.

However, the right-wing nationalists are now threatening to withdraw their confidence in the government - despite Barnier's repeated concessions. Le Pen announced her own motion of no confidence and said her party would also support the motion of the left-wing alliance.

If the right-wing nationalists and the left-wing alliance of communists, socialists, leftists and Greens were to actually pull together on the votes of no confidence, they could bring down the government.

A complicated search for a new government would then follow. It will not be possible to hold new parliamentary elections until the summer.

Photo: MIA archive