Michel Barnier is expected to go down as the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history as both Left and Right unite to end his government.

The 73 year-old former Brexit negotiator, nicknamed “Babar” after the unflappable cartoon elephant, is facing two no-confidence motions in the Paris National Assembly on Wednesday evening.

With both Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) and the leftist New Popular Front backing Mr Barnier’s exit, he has next to no chance of survival.

Voting will take place on Wednesday after Emmanuel Macron, the president, returns from a trip to Saudi Arabia.

The head of state has said he will not resign himself, stating, “I was elected twice by the French people,” and that his “priority is stability”.