French government collapses as PM Michel Barnier loses confidence vote | BBC News

The French government has collapsed after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote. MPs in the National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion against him - just three months after he was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Opposition parties had tabled the motion after the former Brexit negotiator controversially used special powers to force through his budget without a vote. It marks the first time the country's government has collapsed in a no-confidence vote since 1962.

The removal of Michel Barnier will increase France's current political instability after snap elections in the summer gave no single group a majority in parliament.

Barnier is now obliged to present the resignation of his government and the budget which was the cause of his downfall is defunct.

Both the far right and radical left had tabled motions of no-confidence after Barnier pushed through reforms to social security by invoking presidential decree on Monday after failing to win enough support for the measures.

The left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP), which won the most seats in the summer election had heavily criticised Macron’s decision to appoint the Michel Barnier as prime minister instead of its own candidate.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Andrew Harding and Katya Adler.