Michel Barnier’s government has been officially censured, resulting in the rejection of a crucial social security financing bill. This outcome follows the controversial use of article 49.3, allowing legislation without a formal vote. Barnier, now facing resignation, leads the shortest administration in Fifth Republic history. With no government having previously fallen due to this article, the political landscape remains uncertain as the President considers the resignation and prepares to appoint a new Prime Minister.
The Fall of Michel Barnier’s Government
The axe has fallen decisively on Michel Barnier’s administration, as the deputies have officially censured the government. On Wednesday, December 4, an overwhelming **331 votes** were cast in favor of the motion of censure, leading to the rejection of the **social security financing bill**. This contentious legislation had been pushed through by the Prime Minister using article 49.3, a controversial constitutional provision. As a direct consequence, the head of government is now poised to **resign**.
Understanding Article 49.3 and Its Implications
This infamous article of the Constitution allows a bill to be adopted without a formal vote from the deputies but comes with significant risks for the government. Following its invocation, deputies are granted a 24-hour window to file a **motion of censure**. For such a motion to pass, it must garner the support of an absolute majority of the National Assembly members, which stands at 288 votes out of 577, considering three seats are currently vacant due to resignations.
On Monday, September 2, two motions of censure were filed in response to the Prime Minister’s use of article 49.3. The motion from the New Popular Front, a coalition of leftist parties, gained the most traction, leading to its debate in the National Assembly first. Simultaneously, the National Rally (RN) presented its own motion of censure. The discussion commenced with Eric Coquerel, president of the finance committee, advocating for the NFP motion, followed by Marine Le Pen representing the RN. Michel Barnier then took the stage to defend his administration, followed by contributions from various parliamentary group leaders.
As a result of this unprecedented political turmoil, Michel Barnier’s government now holds the distinction of being the **shortest in the history of the Fifth Republic**. The current circumstances are unique; no government has fallen due to the application of article 49.3 since its inception in 1958. The only comparable event occurred in 1962 when deputies rebelled against Charles de Gaulle’s proposed reform to elect the President through direct universal suffrage. In that instance, de Gaulle refused to accept Georges Pompidou’s resignation, dissolved the National Assembly, and called for early elections. He subsequently reappointed Pompidou after securing a majority.
Now, at 73 years old, Barnier, who took office on September 5, must tender his resignation to the President of the Republic. The President will then decide whether to accept this resignation before appointing a new Prime Minister and assembling a fresh cabinet. While a new government is expected to be announced soon, the absence of a specific timeline for this process leaves uncertainty about when the French public will learn the identity of their next Prime Minister. Following the dissolution of Gabriel Attal’s administration on July 16, 2024, it took Emmanuel Macron nearly two months to appoint the current Prime Minister. A similar delay may well be anticipated for the appointment of Barnier’s successor.