France enters a caretaker government period, Macron accepts Prime Minister Barnier's resignation

This Thursday, France witnessed the shortest-serving Prime Minister in modern French history since World War II, officially entering a caretaker government period.

According to Xinhua News Agency citing French media, on Thursday, December 5th, local time, French President Emmanuel Macron approved Barnier's request to resign from the position of Prime Minister. This came just three months after Barnier was appointed Prime Minister by Macron on September 5th of this year.

Barnier thus became the Prime Minister with the shortest term since the establishment of the Fifth Republic of France in 1958. Following the resignation of Barnier's cabinet, he will continue to lead the caretaker government, responsible for daily affairs and emergency management until a new Prime Minister is appointed.

His resignation not only signifies the "failure" of the French government he led after just three months but also poses a threat to Macron's presidency, making the future political and fiscal landscape of France even more uncertain.

Barnier's impeachment stemmed from his 2025 budget proposal failing to reach a compromise among the major factions in parliament. In June and July of this year, France held early National Assembly elections. In the new assembly, Macron's centrist party lost its majority, forming three major factions with the left and far-right.

Due to the government's heavy debt burden, Barnier attempted to pass a budget proposal that included tax increases and spending cuts of €60 billion to control France's rising public deficit. According to this proposal, the French government's borrowing-to-GDP ratio could drop to 5% by 2025; otherwise, it could approach 7%, more than double the EU's Stability and Growth Pact limit of 3%. However, Barnier's Republican Party holds only 47 seats in the National Assembly, and the budget proposal failed to gain support from both the far-right and the left.

More than a month after the 2025 budget proposal was announced, Barnier's government had not reached an agreement on the annual budget with the opposition in parliament until earlier this month. On Monday, Barnier announced that he would invoke Article 49.3 of the Constitution to bypass the National Assembly and force through the social security bill related to the 2025 budget, an action that immediately sparked strong dissatisfaction from both the far-right and left parties.

Both the far-right National Rally and the left-wing coalition "New People's Front" submitted motions of no confidence against Barnier's government. On the evening of December 4th, the French National Assembly voted to pass the motion of no confidence against Barnier's government. According to the French Constitution, after the motion of no confidence is passed, Barnier must submit his resignation to the president on behalf of the government. This marks the first time since 1962 that a French government has been overthrown by a parliamentary motion of no confidence.

Calls for Macron to Step Down Rise, Polls Show Over 60% Support

In response to the rapid collapse of Barnier's government, a wave of criticism has emerged both domestically and internationally, with much of it directed at Macron. Xinhua reported that some opposition figures criticized Macron for causing the current political predicament and called for his resignation. Some foreign media harshly criticized Macron.

Manuel Bompard, the leader of the far-left party La France Insoumise, stated on Wednesday evening that he believes the stability of the country requires the president to step down. Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally, which holds the most seats in parliament, did not explicitly demand Macron's resignation but warned that "the pressure on the president will only increase."The Berliner Zeitung believes that the only way out of the political crisis in France is for the responsible party to step down: Macron must resign and make way for newcomers. Italy's Corriere Della Sera states that "Macronism is dead," noting that his strategy of suppressing opponents and moving towards the center worked in two presidential elections, but has completely collapsed in the face of social crises and increasing distrust of the president.

During his visit to Saudi Arabia this Tuesday, Macron told the media that he would not resign. He said, "The French people elected me president twice, and I am very proud of that. I will do my utmost to fulfill this trust until the last moment." However, polls show that the majority of the public hopes he will resign.

The Elabe poll results released this Thursday indicate that 54% of respondents are satisfied with the vote of no confidence against the Barnier government passed by the French parliament. 61% of respondents hope Macron will resign, a decrease of 2 percentage points from previous survey results.

Switzerland's Blick questions the significance of Macron's presidency, as his approval rating has fallen to a historic low, his party lost in this year's legislative elections, and the opposition holds a majority in the National Assembly. Moreover, the constitution prohibits him from seeking a third consecutive presidential term, which may further undermine his presidential legitimacy. Would resigning early and holding presidential elections be more in line with democratic spirit?

Macron plans to appoint a new Prime Minister soon, does not wish to meet Trump without a cabinet

Currently, Macron's urgent task is to appoint a new Prime Minister who can lead a minority government in parliament. Yaël Braun-Pivet, the President of the National Assembly and a member of Macron's Renaissance party, urged him to act quickly. Braun-Pivet stated on France International Radio this Thursday, "I suggest he quickly decide on the new Prime Minister. There can be no political hesitation. We need a leader who can communicate with everyone and work hard to pass the new budget bill."

However, the process of selecting a new Prime Minister may be difficult. Macron's government has not confirmed any candidates. French media have revealed a list of potential centrist candidates that could attract both the left and right.

According to Xinhua News Agency, French BFMTV news channel reported, citing sources, that Macron plans to appoint a new Prime Minister as soon as possible. At Macron's invitation, U.S. President-elect Trump will attend the reopening ceremony of Notre-Dame Cathedral on the 7th. Macron is unwilling to meet Trump without a cabinet, as it concerns France's reputation