French President Emmanuel Macron met with allies and parliamentary leaders on Thursday as he worked to quickly appoint a new prime minister following the resignation of Michel Barnier.
Barnier, a seasoned conservative whom Macron appointed just three months ago, resigned after failing to secure enough support for a budget aimed at reducing the country’s significant deficit. His resignation came a day after opposition lawmakers voted to oust his government, making him the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history.
The Elysee Palace announced that Macron had asked Barnier and his government to remain in a caretaker role until a new government is established. According to three sources, Macron is eager to appoint a successor quickly, with one source indicating he hoped to do so before the Saturday ceremony to reopen the renovated Notre-Dame Cathedral, where U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to attend.
Macron’s allies are also pressing for a prompt appointment. After the snap elections in late June and early July, it took nearly two months for Macron to name Barnier. “I recommend that he proceed quickly to the appointment of a prime minister; it’s important, we must not leave things up in the air,” said National Assembly president Yael Braun-Pivet, speaking to France Inter radio ahead of her meeting with Macron.
With the end of the year approaching, France faces the risk of lacking both a stable government and a 2025 budget. However, the constitution allows for emergency measures to avoid a U.S.-style government shutdown.
The political instability further weakens the European Union, already struggling with Germany’s coalition crisis, just weeks before Donald Trump returns to the White House. This turmoil also reflects negatively on Macron, whose decision to call the snap election in June contributed to the polarized political landscape in the country.
