France’s prime minister pleads for support to reduce debts ahead of key vote

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou is making a last-ditch effort to save his job, urging officials expected to topple him in a confidence vote later on Monday to back his plans to curb France’s debts that he said are “submerging us”.

In an impassioned speech to the National Assembly, the 74-year-old stuck to his position that France’s spiralling public deficits and mounting debts are threatening the future of the European Union’s second-largest economy.

He said state debts will weigh on future generations, leave France vulnerable to foreign creditors and undermine its cherished social safety nets if not brought under control.

“Our country works, thinks it’s getting richer but keeps getting poorer,” Mr Bayrou said, defiantly pausing for sips of water when hecklers on the legislative benches tried drowning him out.

The confidence vote later on Monday, likely in the early evening, is widely expected to go against him, requiring Mr Bayrou to submit the resignation of his minority government to President Emmanuel Macron.