Bayrou: Rejecting Government Means “Chaos” for France

French Prime Minister François Bayrou has issued a stark warning to voters, saying that dismissing his government would lead the nation into political turmoil and financial crisis. Speaking publicly for the first time since announcing a surprise confidence vote scheduled for September 8, Bayrou emphasised that citizens have just under two weeks to choose “between chaos and responsibility.”
Addressing an event hosted by one of France’s largest trade unions, the CFDT, Bayrou affirmed the government’s commitment to facing its challenges head-on. His administration is pushing through a controversial budget cut of €43.8 billion aimed at reducing the country’s budget deficit.
By calling for the confidence vote shortly before a planned nationwide strike and ahead of parliament’s return, Bayrou is betting that lawmakers will unite in acknowledging the urgent need to address France’s financial troubles.
Opposition groups from the far-left to the far-right, including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, have already pledged to support efforts to bring down the government.
Many doubt Bayrou’s survival in the vote. The country’s main stock market index, CAC40, fell by more than 1.5 percent following the announcement, with major banks like Société Générale and Crédit Agricole suffering significant losses.
For years, financial experts and rating agencies have urged France to tighten public spending amid fears the nation could face a debt crisis similar to Greece’s. On Tuesday, yields on French government bonds surged, with the 10-year bonds exceeding 3.5 percent—higher than Greece’s—and the 30-year bonds reaching their highest levels since May 2009 at over 4.4 percent.
Bayrou’s 2026 budget plan proposes billions in savings aimed at reassuring creditors and reducing the budget deficit from 5.8 percent of GDP this year to 4.6 percent next year, with a target of 3 percent by 2029 to comply with European Union regulations.