رامي الخليفة العلي
أزمة الحكم في فرنسا بعد إسقاط حكومة بايرو
France is experiencing one of the most complex political and economic crises in the history of the Fifth Republic following the fall of François Bayrou's government in the National Assembly on September 8, 2025, after it failed to gain confidence with a majority of 364 votes against 194, which prompted him to resign immediately, plunging the country into an unprecedented phase of instability. What happened in the Bourbon Palace was not a fleeting event, but rather a natural result of a fragmented parliament since the last legislative elections in 2024, where no faction was able to secure an absolute majority that would enable it to impose political stability. The National Assembly became divided between conflicting camps led by the far-right under the "National Rally" and the far-left represented by the "France Unbowed" movement, while the strength of the centrist supporters of President Macron diminished, allowing populist rhetoric to dominate the scene at the expense of any rational reform vision.
In this troubled climate, Bayrou attempted to impose his harsh reform plan to reduce the deficit through unpopular measures that included cutting spending and abolishing some social privileges, but he faced a solid wall of opposition both inside and outside parliament, revealing the deep division that has afflicted French institutions. The resigning Prime Minister was not far from the truth when he described the economic situation as catastrophic; the numbers do not lie, as public debt reached about 3.3 trillion euros, exceeding 114% of GDP, while the cost of servicing the debt rose to a record level of more than 67 billion euros this year alone, which burdens the treasury and hinders the state's ability to invest in any economic recovery plans. Despite the seriousness of these indicators, the French political class has treated the financial crisis with disdain, mired in narrow party calculations and ideological conflicts that fuel division more than they offer solutions, to the point that the inability to make fateful decisions has become a tangible reality.
This political deadlock not only threatens the ability of the upcoming government to manage the economy, but also opens the door to a new phase of social tension, as large segments of French society, supported by active protest movements and unions, prepare to take to the streets on September 10 in demonstrations expected to push the country towards economic and social paralysis. All of this places France on the brink of a real governance crisis, as the balance between institutions collapses and trust between the state and society erodes, at a time when the rules of the Fifth Republic are no longer capable of containing the current complexities or providing effective mechanisms to address the escalating political and economic divisions.
However, the gravity of the moment does not stop at the borders of France, as the tremors of the second-largest economy in the European Union directly reflect on the stability of the entire continent, raising profound questions about the future of European integration and its ability to absorb the repercussions of this political and financial storm. From here, it seems that the country is heading towards an exceptional phase characterized by a loss of certainty, where the French stand before a difficult test between continuing to spiral in the vortex of polarization and conflict, or embarking on a process to reshape the political contract to ensure the restoration of stability. The crisis today is no longer just a government crisis, but a crisis of an entire system, and a deep crisis of trust between the people and their elites, making the answer to the question of the Fifth Republic's viability in facing these challenges an existential necessity for the future of France and Europe together.


