François Bayrou, 73, was appointed France’s new prime minister on Friday after Michel Barnier’s government fell earlier this month. Bayrou, a centrist and loyal ally of President Emmanuel Macron, took the role following a lengthy meeting at the Elysée Palace.
Bayrou leads the Democratic Movement party (MoDem) and has some support from far-right National Rally (RN) MPs. However, he lacks unanimous backing from other political parties. Far-right MP Philippe Ballard commented, “If this hypothesis is confirmed, we’ll give him a chance, as we did with Michel Barnier.”
The hard-left party France Unbowed (LFI) has already vowed to propose a no-confidence vote against Bayrou, echoing its stance against Barnier.
Challenges Ahead for Bayrou
Michel Barnier was toppled by a no-confidence vote on 4 December after bypassing parliament to adopt the 2024 social security budget. Macron, who visited Poland earlier this week, cut his trip short to finalise Bayrou’s appointment after missing a self-imposed 48-hour deadline.
The new cabinet lineup will be announced in the coming days. Bayrou faces the immediate challenge of forming a stable government capable of avoiding parliamentary collapse. Passing the 2025 national budget will be his next major test in a deeply divided lower house.
The current parliament is split into three blocs with no clear majority, a result of snap elections called by Macron last summer. Bayrou’s ability to navigate this fractured political landscape will define the success of his tenure as prime minister.