France’s interior minister has said Marie Le Pen’s extremist party has manipulated the country into a no confidence vote.
Bruno Retailleu issued this warning as no confidence motions in prime minister Michel Barnier, were presented to the National Assembly before a vote tomorrow evening.
Le Pen’s right-wing party National Rally (RN) has vowed to support far-left MPs from the New Popular Front coalition, meaning Marnier has slim chances of survival after only three months in office.
Speaking to TF1, Retailleu said this was a critical moment for France.
Barnier could be ousted after only three months in office
REUTERSHe said: “We risk chaos, we risk a financial crisis” similar to the “public debt crisis in Greece in 2008.”
“It is not those who are rich who are the first to be impacted, it is the most modest, the most fragile.”
He added: “And during this time we have a part of the political class playing Russian roulette. Let’s wake up and prevent what seems inevitable – chaos.”
Retailleu was especially critical of Le Pen, saying she was being extremely irresponsible for mixing her party’s votes with those of the far-Left.
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The no-confidence motions were filed on Monday after Barnier used a presidential decree to push through a controversial new social security budget, bypassing a vote in parliament.
In a speech to the assembly on Monday, Barnier said his budget would save €60billion at a time when France is struggling financially.
However, it includes controversial pension increases and taxes on energy bills
Although Barnier’s move to push through the budget is legal under Article 49.3 of the French constitution, it has been seen as an attack on democracy.
Marie Le Pen could be facing a prison sentence
GettyRN spokesman Jean-Philippe Tanguay said his party’s decision to try and bring down the Barnier government was aimed toward protecting the French, saying the budget was “dangerous and toxic for France.”
He also denied claims that his party was supporting the far-Left, insisting they were instead “defending the national interest.”
Meanwhile, Marie Le Pen and other senior party member are in the midst of a court case over their alleged embezzlement of millions of pounds worth of cash from the EU.
If the ruling goes against her favour, Le Pen could be facing a prison sentence and a ban on running for office for the next five years.
The two no-confidence motions will be debated Wednesday from 4pm with a vote expected around 7pm.
If the vote against him passes, Barnier will become the first serving Prime Minister to be ejected by parliament since 1962.
