Macron names François Bayrou as French prime minister after government collapse

Emmanuel Macron has appointed centrist leader François Bayrou as France’s new prime minister, marking a significant shift in French politics following last week’s historic no-confidence vote.

The Elysee Palace announced the appointment on Friday, stating: “The President of the Republic has appointed François Bayrou as prime minister and tasked him with forming a government.”

Bayrou, who heads the Union for Democracy party, succeeds Michel Barnier, whose government fell in a parliamentary no-confidence vote last week—the first such successful motion in French politics since 1962. The dramatic collapse of Barnier’s administration marked a severe setback for Macron’s legislative agenda.

The new prime minister brings significant political experience to the role. As a long-standing ally of Macron since 2017, Bayrou previously served as justice minister in the president’s first administration. His appointment suggests an attempt to strengthen the government’s centrist position amid growing political tensions.

The appointment comes at a crucial moment for Macron’s presidency, as he seeks to rebuild parliamentary support following the unprecedented defeat of his previous government. Bayrou now faces the immediate challenge of forming a new cabinet that can command sufficient backing in the National Assembly.

Political analysts note that this marks the first time in over six decades that a French government has been forced out through a parliamentary no-confidence vote, underscoring the exceptional nature of the current political crisis.

Bayrou is expected to announce his new cabinet in the coming days, according to Elysee sources.