What Happens Next If French PM’s Confidence Vote Gambit Backfires?

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has until Monday to strike a deal with opposition groups on a new budget or be forced from office, making him the second premier in less than a year to succumb to the country’s polarized politics.

Veteran lawmaker Bayrou, 74, a centrist with a track record of striking alliances, has tried in vain to convince leaders of the far-right and leftist blocs in parliament to back his spending plans. His decision to call a vote of confidence on his own administration was grounded in the hope his opponents wouldn’t want to be blamed for any chaos resulting from his downfall.