French President Emmanuel Macron has voiced full support for Prime Minister François Bayrou as the government braces for a confidence vote next month that could trigger its collapse.
At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Macron urged unity and defended Bayrou’s austerity-driven budget plan, which seeks to cut €44 billion in public spending. The proposals include reducing welfare growth and scrapping two public holidays, measures that have faced strong public and political opposition.
Government spokesperson Sophie Primas said Macron believed France needed “responsibility, not denial or catastrophising,” stressing that the reforms were crucial to control debt and reassure financial markets. She described the administration as being in a “fighting spirit” ahead of the crucial parliamentary test.
Bayrou, who has been in office for less than a year, called the confidence vote for 8 September in hopes of securing parliamentary backing. However, opposition parties have vowed to vote against him, and opinion polls rank him as one of the least popular prime ministers in modern history.
The looming political showdown comes as France grapples with rising debt costs due to higher interest rates and pressure from EU rules to rein in its deficit. While all parties acknowledge the urgency of tackling debt, sharp divisions remain over the path forward.
Growing calls are emerging for Macron to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections, though he has so far resisted the move. Analysts warn that if Bayrou falls, finding another leader capable of securing a majority behind a budget will prove extremely difficult.