French Prime Minister Michel Barnier delivers a speech during a censure motion debate filed by the alliance of left-wing parties the "Nouveau Front Populaire" (New Popular Front - NFP), after the questions to the government session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, October 8, 2024. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Michel Barnier passed the first test of his new government on Tuesday, as a leftist no-confidence motion failed to garner enough votes to bring down his center-right administration.
President Emmanuel Macron tapped Barnier for the job of prime minister last month after a snap election led to a fractious hung parliament. Barnier's government is weak, propped up by the far right and despised by leftist lawmakers who filed the no-confidence motion last Friday.
