French Prime Minister Loses No Confidence Vote 

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government were ousted after a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes passed with 331 votes.

The Details: The left-wing New Popular Front and right-wing National Rally Party moved to topple Barnier's government after he pushed a social security budget bill through parliament without a vote. Barnier told parliament he only had 15 days to come up with the budget, and it was "not perfect" but "seriously improved by many of your amendments." Figures on the left criticized Barnier for compromising with the right and for not allowing a vote on the budget, whereas the right criticized the contents of the budget with MP Éric Ciotti calling it a "bad budget...a socialist budget."

For Context: Barnier was in office for 91 days. This is the first successful no-confidence vote against the French government since 1962.

What's Next: French President Emmanuel Macron, who has said he will serve the rest of his term, will have to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after his party lost in July. France's debt sits at 112% of its GDP, far above the 60% cap set by the European Union. The collapse of the government could cause further economic turmoil. 

How the Media Covered It: Breitbart (Right bias) focused on Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party and its choice to support the no-confidence measure. The New York Times (Lean Left bias) framed Barnier as a victim of polarization and contextualized the challenges France faces globally following the U.S. election and Germany's political and economic weakness.