In a dramatic turn of events, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has been forced to step down, after only nine months in office, following a crushing confidence vote in the National Assembly.
Lawmakers voted 364 to 194 to remove the 74 year old centrist, delivering a heavy blow to President Emmanuel Macron and throwing France back into political turmoil.
Bayrou had staked his future on securing backing for his strict budget reforms, even calling the vote himself in hopes of pushing through sweeping spending cuts. Instead, MPs from across the political divide seized the moment to join forces against him.
This is now the third prime minister to be forced out within a single year, leaving Macron scrambling once again to find a replacement. With no obvious successor on the horizon, the country faces the growing prospect of prolonged paralysis in parliament.
