Just three months into his tenure, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier is facing a tidal wave of opposition, with growing calls for his government to collapse.
A striking 53% of French citizens now back a censure motion against him, according to a recent Ipsos poll, reflecting deep frustration with his leadership. Not surprisingly, 88% of the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) supports the motion, while Macron’s loyalists dig their heels in to defend him.
Things look even worse among Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) supporters, where 67% demand Barnier’s government step aside. Le Pen herself, however, is in hot water, with ongoing legal troubles over allegations of EU fund embezzlement threatening her political future. She faces potential jail time and a ban from office, but her party continues to apply pressure on Barnier, signaling they’re ready to take action.
Barnier’s popularity has been dropping like a rock—plummeting from 45% approval in September to just 36% now. Blue-collar workers, civil servants, and the unemployed form the bulk of his critics, with dissatisfaction also high among RN and LFI supporters. The government’s failure to address economic struggles, along with rising concerns about immigration and purchasing power, has fueled the fire.
Le Pen didn’t mince words after meeting Barnier on November 25, stating, “I repeated to the Prime Minister for the umpteenth time the red lines that are ours. The measures for the purchasing power of the French are not admissible for us, while the necessary savings, particularly on immigration, are not being made.”
Meanwhile, the LFI continues to push the envelope, calling for French President Emmanuel Macron to step down if Barnier’s government collapses. Mathilde Panot, head of the LFI parliamentary group, declared, “When the Barnier government falls — because it will fall — Emmanuel Macron will have only two options: appoint Lucie Castets [LFI’s candidate for PM] or resign.”
Adding to Macron’s woes, over 300,000 people have signed an LFI petition demanding his impeachment. While Macron dismissed any notion of resigning last June, opposition parties aren’t backing down. The RN has already filed for impeachment, and an early presidential election could be on the table if Macron is forced out—a prospect that would shake the political landscape.
For now, Barnier clings to power, but with dissatisfaction surging and opposition parties sharpening their knives, his government’s days may be numbered. France, it seems, stands at a crossroads, with rising anti-establishment sentiment threatening to topple its leadership.
