The no-confidence vote on 4 December could bring political chaos in France

The overthrow of Barnier's government after only three months in power will confront President Emmanuel Macron with an unenviable dilemma of how to move forward and whom to appoint in his place.
France's government faces a vote of no confidence that could spell the end of Prime Minister Michel Barnier's short-lived rule and lead to political chaos in the country, AFP reports.
The ouster of Barnier's government after just three months in power would present President Emmanuel Macron with an unenviable dilemma of how to move forward and who to appoint in his place.
The National Assembly is due to debate two budget proposals tabled by the far left and the far right that diverge from the bill tabled by Barnier. As a consequence, the Prime Minister passed the social security budget without a vote.
Marine Le Pen's far-right National Assembly is expected to vote in favour of the motion (vote of no confidence) tabled by the left, which will give it enough votes to be passed.
Asked on French television whether there was a chance his government would survive the 4 December vote, Barnier replied:
"I want that and it is possible. It depends on the MEPs. I think it is possible to have that responsibility where - beyond the political differences, the differences, the normal contradictions in a democracy - we say to ourselves that there is a higher interest."
Most analysts believe the government is doomed as the far right allies itself with the left.
The turmoil follows snap elections called by Macron in the summer, which aimed unsuccessfully to halt the rise of the far right and left no party or faction in parliament with a majority.
New elections cannot be called for a year after the previous ones, narrowing Macron's options. Some have even suggested that the president, who is on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, could resign.
But the head of state dismissed calls for him to resign to break the political deadlock, saying such a scenario amounted to a "political fabrication".
"It makes no sense... frankly, it's not right to say these things," Macron told reporters on the sidelines of his visit to Saudi Arabia.
"It so happens that if I am before you, it is because I was elected twice by the French people. I am extremely proud of this and I will honour this trust with all the energy that belongs to me until the last second to be useful to the country," added Macron, who is due to hold office until 2027.
Several prominent opposition figures and even some voices closer to the presidential faction have suggested that resignation may be Macron's only real option.
He also accused Le Pen's "National Rally" of "unbearable cynicism" after the party backed the motion that threatens to bring down Barnier's government.
"We should not scare people with these things, we have a strong economy," Macron added.
While most commentators predict that the left and far-right will unite to bring down the government, Macron appeared to retain some hope, saying he "cannot believe" the no-confidence motion would be passed against the government.
Candidates for the hot prime minister's seat are few, with loyalist Defence Minister Sebastian Lecornu and centrist Macron ally Francois Bayrou possible contenders.
If the government falls, it would be the first successful vote of no confidence since the defeat of Georges Pompidou's government in 1962, when Charles de Gaulle was president.
The life of the Barnier government will also be the shortest of any administration of the French Fifth Republic, which began in 1958.
Some observers suggest that Le Pen, 56, is playing a high-risk game and trying to unseat Macron before the end of his term by removing Barnier.
Le Pen is embroiled in a high-profile embezzlement trial. If found guilty in March, she could be blocked from running in France's next presidential election, scheduled for 2027.
But she insists the party's tough stance is entirely due to the budget, which will make the French poorer.
"Following Emmanuel Macron's disastrous continuity, the prime minister can only fail," Le Pen wrote on social media. | BGNES