Prime Minister François Bayrou’s government has collapsed after a bruising no-confidence vote in the French National Assembly. MPs rejected his budget by a margin of 364 votes to 194, with 25 abstentions, forcing his resignation and plunging Emmanuel Macron’s second term into chaos. The defeat marks the unravelling of Macronism – the president’s promise to hold the centre and block Marine Le Pen’s National Rally now lies in tatters as France faces deepening political and economic turmoil.

What started as anger over Bayrou’s budget is now fuelling demands for a general election and even calls for Macron’s resignation

The lost confidence vote leaves Macron with a dilemma: dissolve the parliament and call new elections to break the deadlock, or muddle on with no clear majority in parliament

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