Politico: The toppling of the French government seems inevitable

The end of Michel Barnier’s extremely brief time as France’s prime minister looks inevitable as his government hurtles toward a no-confidence vote that it is expected to lose later this week, Politico writes.

Days of tension have culminated in a high-stakes vote in parliament that could trigger a financial crisis for the eurozone’s second-largest economy and send ripples of fear around the bloc. The French prime minister has been battling to reassure jittery markets and pass a budget that will fill a black hole in French finances.

On Monday, Barnier, the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator, used a controversial constitutional maneuver to bypass parliament and force through a social security financing bill. In response, the left-wing opposition put forward a no-confidence motion, which will be put to a vote on Wednesday or Thursday.

Opposition forces, including the leftist New Popular Front coalition and the far-right National Rally, have warned they will vote to topple the government.

“The French had enough of being thrashed and mistreated… we can’t leave things as they are,” National Rally leader Marine Le Pen told reporters on Monday as she announced that her party would vote to topple Barnier’s government.

If the parliament does oust Barnier, it would be the first time a French government has suffered the humiliation of losing a no-confidence vote since 1962.