James Saunders
Guest Reporter
France's Prime Minister, ex-EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, has been ousted following a vote of no confidence from the French parliament.
Barnier had been named in the role a day short of three months ago - and has become the country's shortest-serving PM since 1958 as a result.
Both right and left-wing lawmakers joined forces to back the no-confidence motion against Barnier and his government, with a majority of 331 votes in support of the motion.
The unlikely coalition forced through the motion after Barnier controversially used special constitutional powers to ram through part of an unpopular budget with no final vote in the French parliament.
French firebrand Marine Le Pen said the move was "the only way the constitution gives us to protect the French from a dangerous, unfair and punitive budget".
Part of that budget includes funding for police patrolling the English Channel - crucial in stopping migrants from boarding boats set for British shores.
The humiliating vote is the first of its kind in 62 years after Georges Pompidou's government suffered the same fate in 1962.
President Emmanuel Macron's appointment of Barnier to the PM role had been met with utter fury from parties further to his left and right earlier this year.
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The left-wing New Popular Front had taken home 180 seats - more than Macron's Ensemble party's 159 - while the right-wing alliance had received 125.
Both parties had seen their seat count increase by significant margins, while Macron's party lost out.
And now, fears are rising that the left and right could take down the President's next PM picks until he resigns.
Though Le Pen has played down these fears - saying her party would "let the next nominated Prime Minister go to work".
She said after Barnier's ousting that pressure was now piling up on Macron - but she insisted she was not calling for his resignation, adding he alone had the last say on the matter.
On Wednesday evening, Reuters reported that three sources had said Macron was looking to install a successor to Barnier swiftly.
One of the sources said the President wanted to appoint a new PM before the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral on Saturday.
And whoever takes on the role will be in for a date with US President-elect Donald Trump - who is due to attend the ceremony.
Find Out More...
Barnier had been named in the role a day short of three months ago - and has become the country's shortest-serving PM since 1958 as a result.
Both right and left-wing lawmakers joined forces to back the no-confidence motion against Barnier and his government, with a majority of 331 votes in support of the motion.
The unlikely coalition forced through the motion after Barnier controversially used special constitutional powers to ram through part of an unpopular budget with no final vote in the French parliament.
French firebrand Marine Le Pen said the move was "the only way the constitution gives us to protect the French from a dangerous, unfair and punitive budget".
Part of that budget includes funding for police patrolling the English Channel - crucial in stopping migrants from boarding boats set for British shores.
The humiliating vote is the first of its kind in 62 years after Georges Pompidou's government suffered the same fate in 1962.
President Emmanuel Macron's appointment of Barnier to the PM role had been met with utter fury from parties further to his left and right earlier this year.
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The left-wing New Popular Front had taken home 180 seats - more than Macron's Ensemble party's 159 - while the right-wing alliance had received 125.
Both parties had seen their seat count increase by significant margins, while Macron's party lost out.
And now, fears are rising that the left and right could take down the President's next PM picks until he resigns.
Though Le Pen has played down these fears - saying her party would "let the next nominated Prime Minister go to work".
She said after Barnier's ousting that pressure was now piling up on Macron - but she insisted she was not calling for his resignation, adding he alone had the last say on the matter.
On Wednesday evening, Reuters reported that three sources had said Macron was looking to install a successor to Barnier swiftly.
One of the sources said the President wanted to appoint a new PM before the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral on Saturday.
And whoever takes on the role will be in for a date with US President-elect Donald Trump - who is due to attend the ceremony.
Find Out More...