‘Extremely unpopular French PM Bayrou playing both sides’ in a bid to push through austerity budget

France’s minority government is facing mounting pressure, with Prime Minister François Bayrou increasingly likely to be ousted next month. Bayrou has called a confidence vote for September 8 over his plans for sweeping budget cuts — but the three main opposition parties have already signaled they won’t support him. The far-right National Rally, the Greens, and the Socialists, whose votes are critical, have each said they see no grounds to back the prime minister. A defeat in the National Assembly would trigger the collapse of Bayrou’s government. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24’s François Picard welcomes Renaud Foucart, Economist and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Lancaster University Management School.