FRANCE-POLITICS-PARLIAMENT-GOVERMENT

Founder of French left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party Jean-Luc Melenchon listens to France's Prime Minister 's general policy statement during the parliamentary extraordinary session prior to a confidence vote over the government's austerity budget, at the National Assembly in Paris on September 8, 2025. France's parliament is expected to oust Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on September 8, 2025 after just nine months in office, plunging the key EU member into new political uncertainty and creating a painful dilemma for President Emmanuel Macron. Bayrou blindsided even his allies by calling a confidence vote to end a months-long standoff over his austerity budget, which foresees almost 44 billion euros ($52 billion) of cost savings to reduce France's debt pile. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP) (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)