Lasting just under nine months in office, François Bayrou was the third consecutive French prime minister to stay in office less than a year. On Monday, September 8, the centrist failed was forced to hand in his resignation after losing a vote of confidence he had called himself ahead of discussions on the 2026 budget.
Bayrou was appointed prime minister on December 13, 2024, after his predecessor, Michel Barnier, who holds the record for the shortest government of the Fifth Republic, was ousted. Bayrou had managed to secure belated approval for the 2025 budget in February, and avoided being ousted by a no-confidence motion through a deal with the Socialists and the far-right Rassemblement National party. However, he ultimately faced opposition from both of these political forces, who rejected his plan for €44 billion in budget cuts.
After eight months and 26 days in office, the Bayrou government has become the fourth-shortest in the history of the Fifth Republic. Georges Pompidou, who served as prime minister for more than six years, remains the longest-serving head of government. After losing a no-confidence motion in October 1962, Pompidou stayed on in a caretaker capacity, managing the country's day-to-day affairs until new parliamentary elections were held. After winning those elections comfortably, he was reappointed as prime minister and remained in office until 1968.
François Bayrou was the fourth shortest-lived prime minister of the Fifth Republic
This graph depicts the duration of every government since the Fifth Republic began in 1958, as well as the prime minister's political orientation.
January 9, 2024: After a tense vote in the Assemblée Nationale, Emmanuel Macron decided to reshuffle his cabinet and name a new prime minister, Gabriel Attal.
June 9, 2024: Marine Le Pen's far-right Rassemblement National (RN) obtained a historic score in the European Parliament elections, winning 30 of France's 81 seats. One hour after the results were announced, Macron shocked the nation by dissolving the Assemblée Nationale, triggering snap elections.
July 7, 2024: The left-wing Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) alliance defied expectations of an RN victory and won more seats than any other bloc. The NFP later put forward Lucie Castets, a little-known civil servant, as its candidate for prime minister.
September 5, 2024: Macron picked Michel Barnier, of the conservative Les Républicains (LR) party, to become prime minister. Together, Macron's coalition and LR had more seats than the NFP.
December 4, 2024: Barnier's government collapsed as the far right and left backed a motion of confidence. The votes also scuttled Barnier's budget for 2025.
December 13, 2024: Macron appointed his longtime centrist ally François Bayrou to replace Barnier. The coalition backing Bayrou in Parliament was the same as Barnier's.
February 6, 2025: France belatedly passed a budget for 2025 as Bayrou forced the legislation through without a vote. The RN and the Socialists abstained from backing the resulting motion of no confidence.
August 25, 2025: Bayrou called a vote of confidence ahead of the 2026 budget debates.
September 8, 2025: Bayrou ousted as prime minister after losing confidence vote at the Assemblée Nationale.
September 10, 2025: A day of protest under the slogan "Block Everything" is scheduled.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.