French lawmakers are set to vote Wednesday afternoon on at least one no-confidence motion that could lead to the fall of Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government. Reports from French

media, confirmed by a parliamentary aide, suggest the vote will likely result in Barnier's dismissal.

Scheduled for 4 p.m. in the National Assembly, the debate will focus on motions filed after Barnier bypassed parliament on Monday, using a controversial constitutional mechanism to push through a social security financial bill. The move has sparked widespread backlash. Both the left-wing New Popular Front coalition and the far-right National Front have announced their intention to vote against the government, a coalition that together holds a parliamentary majority.

If Barnier loses the vote, his removal would exacerbate France's ongoing political turmoil and fuel concerns across the European Union about the country's governance challenges and escalating budget deficit.

A defeat would make Barnier the shortest-serving prime minister in modern French history. Appointed by President Emmanuel Macron in September, Barnier faced the daunting task of passing a streamlined budget without a parliamentary majority—a challenge many viewed as insurmountable.

In a bid to salvage his government, Barnier is set to appear on French television Tuesday evening to appeal to lawmakers ahead of the vote. However, his efforts may come too late. If the no-confidence motion passes, it would mark the first time a French government has been ousted in such a manner since 1962. Photo by European People's Party, Wikimedia commons.