As expected, the government of François Bayrou has lost its vote of confidence in the National Assembly.

Three hundred and sixty-four MPs voted to bring down the centrist coalition government, ten months after Michel Barnier’s administration collapsed in similar circumstances. On that occasion 331 MPs cast their ballots against the Prime Minister.

Bayrou has been a marked man since he unveiled his budget proposals in July, the objective of which was to slash €44 billion (£38 billion) in spending by 2026 in order to reduce France’s huge public debt. MPs from across the political spectrum condemned his budget.

During an afternoon of impassioned debate in parliament, Bayrou had warned MPs: ‘You can get rid of the government, but you can’t get rid of reality.’ That reality is 3.35 trillion

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