French Prime Minister François Bayrou said he will put his government on the line in a confidence vote in the National Assembly on 8 September, staking his future on the adoption of a €44 billion package of spending cuts aimed at reining in the deficit. The arithmetic in the lower house appears unfavourable. The Parti socialiste, La France Insoumise and the Rassemblement national all declared they will vote against the government, while Les Républicains—Bayrou’s key centrist-right partner—said it would back him. Without an absolute majority, Bayrou risks being forced from office should the motion fail. Senior figures across the political spectrum are already debating next steps. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said a dissolution of the Assembly remains a live option if the government falls, a path also urged by RN president Jordan Bardella and former minister Jean-François Copé. Some PS lawmakers have spoken of preparing for snap elections, while others have floated the possibility of President Emmanuel Macron stepping down. Investors reacted nervously to the uncertainty: the CAC 40 index opened Tuesday down 1.36 percent, with French bank shares leading losses, widening the gap with other European markets.