France’s Macron facing critical dilemma after second PM ousted in a year

The challenge French President Emmanuel Macron faces in choosing his fifth prime minister in under two years lays bare the depth of a political crisis that in many ways is of his own making, and one with no clear path out.

Francois Bayrou was set to tender his resignation as prime minister on Tuesday, a day after the parliament voted to bring down the government over its plans for taming the budget deficit.

Bayrou’s predecessor, Michel Barnier, had suffered the same fate over his fiscal plans only nine months ago.

Fighting for his survival, Bayrou warned lawmakers his downfall would not erase the reality of France’s fiscal largesse. But like the conservative Barnier, he had little protection with no parliamentary majority.

Passing policy through a deeply fractured parliament has become fraught with danger for Macron after a failed bet on a snap election in 2024 weakened his hand.