French Prime Minister Bayrou meets far-right leaders ahead of confidence vote

PARIS, FRANCE — SEPT. 2, 2025: French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou met National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella in Paris on Tuesday, Sept. 2, to discuss his budget plan and seek their support ahead of a confidence vote. Bayrou’s minority government faces possible collapse after he called a no-confidence vote for Sept. 8. Bayrou is seeking support for a plan to save nearly €44 billion ($51 billion) as part of efforts to reduce France’s soaring public debt, which now stands at 113% of the country's GDP. France also has one of the bloc’s largest budget deficits at 5.8%. Warning that the country is “on the brink of over-indebtedness,” Bayrou urged lawmakers to choose “responsibility over chaos.” Opposition parties across the spectrum, from the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) to the far-right National Rally (RN), as well as the Socialists, have vowed to vote against the government. Adding to the pressure, French labor unions have called for a nationwide protest on Sept. 10 under the slogan “Let’s block everything.” Budget negotiations have been a major source of tension in French politics. The failure to reach an agreement on the 2025 budget last year led to the collapse of the Michel Barnier government in December, after left-wing and far-right parties united behind a no-confidence motion. (Footage by Mohamad Salaheldin Abdelg Alsayed/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)