Last ditch talks between the French far right and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou did not achieve any breakthrough, its leaders said Tuesday, heightening the chances that he will lose a confidence vote next week.
Three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and her right-hand-man and National Rally (RN) party leader Jordan Bardella urged swift snap legislative elections after the vote in parliament on Monday to end a months-long standoff over the budget.
“Jordan and I are calling for an extremely rapid dissolution (of parliament),” Le Pen said alongside Bardella after one hour of talks with Bayrou at his offices in Paris.
Bardella added: “The sooner we return to the polls, the sooner France will have a budget.”
There was “no miracle” in the meeting which “will not change the National Rally’s mind,” he added.
Analysts expect Bayrou and his government to fall on Monday after just over half a year in office, with both the far right and left-wing parties vowing to vote against his minority administration.
President Emmanuel Macron will then need to decide if he reappoints Bayrou, chooses a new premier who would be the seventh government chief of his presidency, or calls snap legislative elections.
He could also resign, as called for by the hard left, but he has repeatedly ruled out this course of action.
“The answer is simple: we don’t have confidence (in Bayrou),” Le Pen said, adding: “the only way for a prime minister to have a slightly longer lifespan would be to break with Macronism.”
