François Bayrou

Paris Stocks Edge Higher After French PM’s Resignation

September 9, 2025 10:50 am

The Paris stock market opened higher on Tuesday following the resignation of Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s government, which fell after losing a confidence vote in parliament. Despite the political shake-up, investors appeared largely unfazed, suggesting that markets had already priced in the prospect of instability.

The CAC 40 index of French blue-chip stocks rose 0.2 per cent in early trading. In comparison, the Frankfurt DAX slipped 0.1 per cent, while London’s FTSE 100 posted a modest 0.1 per cent gain. The muted market response reflects both anticipation of Bayrou’s ouster and confidence that France’s political system will contain the crisis …

France Enters Crisis Mode Again Despite Avoidable Path

September 7, 2025 10:55 am

“It was a question famously asked by Charles de Gaulle: ‘How can anyone govern a country with 246 varieties of cheese?’ Six decades later, France seems no closer to an answer.

Prime Minister François Bayrou, less than a year into his tenure, faces a confidence vote in parliament that could make him the fourth premier to fall within just 20 months. His political survival rests on winning backing for a €44 billion savings plan that scraps two public holidays and freezes spending. Bayrou has warned that the reforms are essential for “national survival,” stressing that France’s debt grows by €12 …