Macron to address France as political crisis deepens

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to address the nation on Thursday evening following the collapse of Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s minority government.

The address comes as France faces deepening crises on multiple fronts – political, economic and diplomatic – without a stable government.

Barnier is expected to tender his resignation at 10 am (0900 GMT) after just three months in office, marking the end of the shortest prime ministerial tenure in modern French history.

His administration was toppled on Wednesday in a no-confidence motion supported by left-wing and far-right opposition lawmakers following a dispute over Barnier’s austerity budget.

The upheaval has plunged one of Europe’s most powerful players into deeper political turmoil amid major economic challenges.

A new parliamentary election cannot be held until a year after the last vote in July, according to France’s constitution.

Macron could ask Barnier to remain in a caretaker role but media reports indicated that Macron plans to appoint a new head of government quickly.

None of the political blocs hold an absolute majority in parliament, meaning it is unlikely that anything stronger than a minority government will be able to be formed.

The government’s collapse – the first time a French government has been ousted in a no-confidence vote since 1962 – comes with the eurozone’s second-largest economy struggling to maintain investor confidence due to a yawning budget deficit that is wracking French stocks and bonds while pushing up borrowing costs.

The crisis also weakens France’s position on the international stage, particularly as the war in Ukraine and global trade tensions demand strong European leadership.

After the collapse of Germany’s government last month, two of Europe’s main players may now grind to a political standstill.