French lawmakers set to vote on ousting Prime Minister Barnier

4/12/2024 16:47

        French lawmakers will vote on Wednesday on no-confidence motions which are all but certain to oust the government, throwing the euro zone's second-biggest economy deeper into a lingering political crisis.
        
        Barring a last-minute surprise, the French government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier will be the first to be forced out by a no-confidence vote in more than 60 years, at a time when the country is struggling to tame a massive budget deficit.
        
        In a TV interview on Tuesday, Barnier said he still believed his government could survive the vote, scheduled for the evening after a debate that starts at 4:00 p.m.
        
        But the far-right National Rally (RN) made clear on Wednesday morning that it would vote to topple Barnier alongside leftwing parties. The left and the far right combined have enough votes to oust the government.