Should Michel Barnier lose the vote, as is expected, he will become the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history.Julien de Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

French government no-confidence vote set for Wednesday – POLITICO

by · POLITICO

PARIS  —  French members of parliament will vote Wednesday afternoon on at least one motion of no confidence that is likely to topple the French government, according to French media reports confirmed by a parliamentary aide.

On Wednesday at 4 p.m., lawmakers in the National Assembly are set to debate several motions of no-confidence put forward on Monday after Prime Minister Michel Barnier used a constitutional maneuver to bypass parliament to force through a social security financial bill. Barnier is likely to lose that vote as the left-wing New Popular Front coalition and the far-right National Front have both said they would vote against the government. Together, the two opposition forces command a majority in parliament.

The ousting of Barnier and his Cabinet risks deepening an already complicated political crisis in Paris and has raised fears across the European Union that France has become ungovernable and saddled by a spiraling budget deficit.