Paris: French Prime Minister François Bayrou has signaled he is considering a national referendum on the country’s budget, citing the serious implications of proposed cost-cutting measures and the potential for widespread public unrest.
“I think the subject is so serious, and it carries such major consequences for the future of the country, that it should be put directly to our citizens. Therefore, I am not ruling out any option,” Bayrou told Journal du Dimanche in an interview published Saturday.
The French government faces mounting pressure as it works to reduce the national debt while avoiding large-scale protests, particularly from trade unions and public sector employees who fear job losses and austerity. The balancing act has grown increasingly delicate, with political tensions rising both inside and outside parliament.
Under the French Constitution, the president can call for a referendum if the government initiates the proposal. “It is up to the government to propose, and for the president to decide… We have in front of us a question of huge importance, one which is not only for the technocrats and experts but which needs to be examined by each citizen,” Bayrou added.
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President Emmanuel Macron has previously hinted at the use of referendums, stating during his New Year’s Eve address on December 31 that he would ask the French people to weigh in on “decisive” national issues, though he did not specify what those issues might be.
Bayrou’s proposal comes amid intensifying opposition threats. Several parties have already indicated plans to file a no-confidence motion against his government, following recent remarks by the finance minister indicating that the upcoming budget would require billions of euros in spending cuts.
Bayrou appears intent on steering clear of the fate that befell former Prime Minister Michel Barnier, whose brief tenure ended in political collapse after fierce backlash over budgetary reforms.
The Élysée Palace had yet to comment on Bayrou’s remarks (at the time the article was published).
