President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday sought a new prime minister to prevent France from sliding deeper into political turmoil after Michel Barnier’s government was ousted in a historic no-confidence vote in parliament.
Contemporary France’s shortest-serving premier, Barnier met Macron at the Elysee Palace to submit his resignation after Wednesday’s parliamentary defeat forced his government to step down.
The vote was the first successful no-confidence action since a defeat for Georges Pompidou’s government in 1962, when Charles de Gaulle was president.
“The prime minister today submitted the resignation of his government” to Macron, who has “taken note” of the resignation, the Elysee said.
Barnier and his ministers remain “in charge of daily business until the appointment of a new government”, it added.
It remains unclear when the new prime minister will be appointed.
