French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers his general policy speech on the budget issue before a debate and a confidence vote during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou arrives to deliver a general policy statement on the budget issue before a debate and a confidence vote during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
A general view shows the hemicycle as French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers a general policy statement on the budget issue before a debate and a confidence vote during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of French far-left opposition party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed-LFI) sits among the public as the French Prime Minister faces a debate and a confidence vote from MPs on the budget issue, during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, member of parliament and president of the Ensemble pour la Republique (EPR) parliamentary group, delivers a speech during a debate before a confidence vote on the budget issue during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
French far-right leader and member of parliament Marine Le Pen, President of the French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National - RN) party parliamentary group, delivers a speech during a debate before a confidence vote on the budget issue during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
A French flag flies atop the National Assembly on the day French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou seeks a confidence vote in parliament on the budget issue, in Paris, France, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

By Elizabeth Pineau and Charlotte Van Campenhout

PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister François Bayrou will be voted out by parliament on Monday, parties from across the political spectrum said before a confidence vote that is set to tip the euro zone's second-biggest economy into crisis.

Bayrou, President Emmanuel Macron's fourth prime minister in less than two years, called the confidence vote over the pressure France is facing to repair its finances - with last year's deficit nearly double the EU's 3% limit of economic output and public debt reaching 113.9% of GDP.

"You have the power to bring down the government, but you do not have the power to erase reality," Bayrou warned lawmakers before the confidence vote.

"Reality will remain relentless: expenses will continue to rise, and the burden of debt, already unbearable, will grow heavier and more costly," he said.

But opposition party leaders took the floor one by one to say they disagree with Bayrou on how to tackle the debt and will vote against his minority government. Together, they have more than enough votes to oust him.

"This moment marks the end of the agony of a phantom government," far-right leader Marine Le Pen said.

To avoid paralysis in France, she said, Macron "has only one option now - to call new (parliamentary) elections."

"Today is a day of relief for millions of French people, of relief over your departure," said Mathilde Panot of the hard-left France Unbowed.

Earlier in the debate, Socialist lawmaker Boris Vallaud told Bayrou he would vote against him, and urged Macron to replace him with a left-wing prime minister.

The minority government's collapse would deepen France's problems as Europe seeks unity over Russia's war in Ukraine, an increasingly dominant China and trade tensions with the United States.

The turmoil threatens France's ability to rein in its debt, with the risk of further credit downgrades as bond spreads - a gauge of the risk premium investors demand to hold French debt - widen.

"As for political instability, those who find all this amusing would do well to remember how much of an economic poison it is," said Laurent Wauquiez of the conservative Republicans, who back the government.

The outcome of the confidence vote may come by around 1700 GMT.

"Our country has an urgent need for lucidity, it has the most urgent need for unity. But it is division that threatens to prevail, that threatens its image and reputation," Bayrou said.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Macron has so far ruled out dissolving parliament, as he did last year. France has been mired in a political crisis since that snap election, which resulted in an even more divided parliament where no camp has a majority.

After the fall of a conservative and a centrist as prime minister, many observers expect Macron to next seek a candidate from the centre-left Socialists. But he could also opt for a technocrat, or someone from the centre-right. There are no rules governing who he will appoint, or when.

Social tensions are also heating up. Some online groups have urged the French to "block everything" on Wednesday and mainstream labour unions plan social action on September 18 against plans for budget cuts.

The departure of a fourth premier in under two years would underline a political malaise of a depth rarely seen in France since the 1958 establishment of the Fifth Republic. The post-war constitution aimed to ensure stable governance by creating a powerful, highly centralized president with a strong parliamentary majority.

Instead, Macron, whose ascent to power in 2017 blew apart the political landscape and its traditional mainstream parties, is struggling with a fractured parliament in a country not used to building coalitions.

(Additional reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Richard Lough, Tassilo Hummel and Lucien Libert; writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Aidan Lewis, Hugh Lawson and Timothy Heritage)