Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
French President Macron Refuses To Resign
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
PARIS (Worthy News) – Faced with the most significant political turmoil in years, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged Thursday he would name a new prime minister within “the coming days” but dismissed calls for his resignation.
Macron made the announcement in a dramatic 10-minute address to his nation after Prime Minister Michel Barnier,73, resigned following a no-confidence vote in parliament sparked by a budget row.
Macron rejected opposition pressure to stand down and vowed to stay in his post “fully, until the end of the mandate” in 2027.
He thanked Barnier for his dedication, although he was the shortest-serving prime minister since the 1958 founding of the Fifth Republic, France’s republican system of government.
Macron accused the French far right and hard left of collaborating in an “anti-republican front” to bring down the government.
French legislators voted overwhelmingly to remove Barnier on Wednesday, just three months after Macron appointed the conservative 73-year-old.
The vote was the first time a French government had been voted down by parliament in more than 60 years, a move Macron labeled “unprecedented.”
‘LITTLE REMINDER’
In response, Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), wrote on social media: “A little reminder to President Macron, who is supposed to be the guarantor of the Constitution: censure is not anti-republican, it is provided for in the Constitution of our Fifth Republic.”
The no-conference vote came after he used a constitutional mechanism called Article 49.3 to push through a social security budget bill without a vote, though it opened the door to a no-confidence motion.
Bernier has said the move was needed to realize 60 billion euros ($63.07 billion) in savings to shrink a gaping deficit after a
last-minute concession was insufficient to win support from Le Pen’s influential far-right RN for his budget plans.
The development risked further unsettling investors, who have already pushed up France’s borrowing costs beyond those of countries like Spain and Greece.
Last week, France narrowly escaped a debt downgrade by S&P, with the rating agency saying that “despite ongoing political uncertainty, we expect France to comply — with a delay — with the EU fiscal framework and to gradually consolidate public finances.”
Macron said the new government’s priority will be approving a budget, with a special law submitted to parliament before mid-December to keep the state afloat.
Outgoing ministers warned that the stopgap emergency law could have unintended consequences, including increasing income tax for millions of households.
SUCCESSORS NAMED
Bernard Cazeneuve, 61, a former prime minister and interior minister, has been named among possible successors of Barnier.
Others include Sébastien Lecornu, 38, the youngest defense minister since the French Revolution, and François Bayrou, 73, the former high commissioner for government planning and veteran centrist.
Jean Castex, 59, a former prime minister and current head of the RATP, the state-owned operator of the Paris metro, is also running for the top job.
While Macron could also rename Barnier, the outgoing leader suggested he did not expect that scenario.
Analysts say any new prime minister will face the same political gridlock that brought down Barnier, with far-right and hard-left parties refusing to accept the current budget plans.
Macron did not indicate if the new government should attempt a sharp fiscal adjustment to bring the deficit down to 5 percent of economic output next year from 6.1 percent in 2024.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened Iran with renewed military strikes if Tehran fails to restrain Hezbollah in Lebanon or keep the Strait of Hormuz open, even as Vice President J.D. Vance opened high-stakes talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will maintain its security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary, even as U.S.-Iran talks opened in Switzerland and appeared to stall after fresh threats from President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned his nation that Russian forces may be preparing a major new offensive and urged Ukrainians to remain vigilant as fresh attacks across the country killed at least seven people, including civilians living near the front lines.
With the Middle East in turmoil, U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived Sunday in the peaceful Alpine nation of Switzerland to help hammer out a deal aimed at ending the U.S.-Israel war with Iran that has engulfed much of the region and sent shockwaves through the global economy.
Hungary’s president has warned that recently elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar is plotting a takeover of state institutions that would give him more power than his predecessor, Viktor Orbán.
A diplomatic dispute between Poland and Ukraine intensified Sunday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced he was returning Poland’s highest state honor following a decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip him of the award.
A Dutch community remained in shock Saturday after a 13-year-old girl was detained following the discovery of her parents’ bodies in their home in the northern Netherlands.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com