Paris, Sept 10, (dpa/GNA) – French Prime Minister François Bayrou, tendered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday after losing a vote of confidence in the National Assembly a day earlier.
Bayrou and his Cabinet are to continue in a caretaking capacity until Macron nominates a successor.
The Élysée Palace had indicated on Monday evening that Macron, would accept Bayrou’s resignation, following a resounding defeat in the French lower house.
Bayrou called the vote after failing to push through severe spending cuts, losing it with 364 deputies voting against him and just 194 backing him.
The fall of Bayrou increases pressure on Macron, who already saw his previous prime minister ousted by opposition forces in December.
France is heavily indebted and faces urgent pressure to rein in public finances.
Bayrou had proposed cuts amounting to nearly €44 billion ($51.6 billion) for the coming year, including the abolition of two public holidays — a move that was widely rejected by both the public and lawmakers.
GNA