Majority of French Citizens Want PM François Bayrou to Resign Over Austerity Budget Plan
A new opinion poll has revealed that over 59% of French citizens want Prime Minister François Bayrou to resign after he unveiled the 2026 draft budget this week, which includes sweeping austerity measures aimed at reducing the country's public deficit.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos BVA for French radio station RTL and polling over 1,000 people between July 16–17, found that only 20% of respondents expressed support for Bayrou. Meanwhile, 44% favored dissolving the National Assembly, and 34% supported a motion of no confidence against the government. However, 41% said they were concerned about the potential collapse of the government.
On Tuesday, Bayrou presented his plan to cut the public deficit by over €43 billion (approximately $49.8 billion) through a range of measures, including new taxes on the wealthy, decoupling pensions and social benefits from inflation rates, and cutting healthcare and local authority spending by more than €10 billion.
He also proposed eliminating two public holidays, including Easter Monday and Victory in Europe Day (May 8).
In response to the controversial proposal, both right- and left-wing opposition parties signaled the possibility of submitting a motion of no confidence that could bring down the government.
In a separate poll conducted by Odoxa–Backbone Consulting for Le Figaro, 87% of respondents said the proposed budget would weaken their purchasing power, while 77% believed it would lead to a deterioration in the quality of public services.
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