France's minority government is on the brink of collapse after Prime Minister Michel Barnier used special powers to force through his budget without a vote in parliament. Furious opposition parties said they would back a no-confidence motion to oust the former Brexit negotiator in a vote that could take place as early as Wednesday.

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier is bracing for a no-confidence vote this week, a political reckoning almost certain to topple his fragile government and send shockwaves across the eurozone. Barnier on Monday invoked a rarely used constitutional mechanism to push through the contentious 2025 budget without parliamentary approval,

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier used a constitutional tool to push through parts of his unpopular budget bill without a parliamentary vote, raising the prospect lawmakers could dissolve his government within a matter of days.