Hugh Schofield
Paris Correspondent

Nicolas Beytout, a journalist at the pro-business L’Opinion newspaper, says today's vote is the start of a series of crises which – counterintuitively – the country actually needs.

Because only by being brought face-to-face with the economic abyss, will voters, parties – the country – accept the tough decisions that lie ahead.

Beytout predicts that any new prime minister will face the same problems as Barnier, and like him fail.

"A new government needs time, which it won’t have," he says. "It needs a majority, which it won’t have. And it needs the determination to see through the necessary reduction in state spending – which it won’t have.

"So I expect to see several more motions of censure, and several more falls of government – before eventually we start to wake up."

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

In an event not seen in France since 1962, the French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has been ousted following a no-confidence vote.

Opposition parties had called today's vote after Barnier attempted to force through his budget without parliamentary consent.

The French PM told MPs that kicking him out would not solve the country's financial problems. Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally disagreed, describing his budget as "toxic".

And today, left and far-right parties united to cast 331 votes to seal Barnier's fate.

There's now the prospect of months of turmoil in France - it took Emmanuel Macron two months to appoint Barnier, who only lasted a little longer in the role himself following his appointment in September.

The prime minister is set to tender his resignation tomorrow morning, but may stay on until Macron finds a successor.

We're wrapping up our live coverage shortly, but you can continue to read the full details in our main story, and read an article about how this is a moment of opportunity and risk for Marine Le Pen.

Also, see Katya Adler's piece on why France's turmoil is a grave concern for the rest of Europe.

Thanks for joining us.

"France is entering an episode of turmoil," former National Assembly member Jacques Myard tells BBC News.

"We are heading for regime crisis."

Myard - who served as a National Assembly member for 24 years and was a member of the right-wing Republicans - says that those who engineered the vote against Michel Barnier "will do everything they can to push Macron out".

"We are entering a very difficult time," he says, and France faces an uncertain future.

"I cannot tell you what will happen tomorrow morning."

France has never developed culture of compromisepublished at 21:58 Greenwich Mean Time

21:58 GMT

Hugh Schofield
Paris Correspondent

For many today’s vote is a crise de régime which is being played out, with the very future of the Fifth Republic institutions in jeopardy.

The Fifth Republic was created to concentrate power in the hands of Charles de Gaulle at a time of national crisis. And ever since De Gaulle, presidents have tried – and generally failed – to emulate his stature.

Macron certainly liked to compare himself with le grand Charles.

But when De Gaulle had a similar government crisis in 1962, he went to the people and received a huge popular mandate in the next election.

Macron has done the reverse. He has had his vote – the botched election in July – and lost it. Power has now shifted out of his hands into those of the putative prime minister, answerable to parliament.

But just as the country reverts to being more of a parliamentary system, the assembly itself has proved itself incapable of action.

As more than one commentator has pointed out, France – with its monarchical instincts and top-down conception of power – has never developed a culture of compromise.

After the vote, the cause of the French crisis still remainspublished at 21:53 Greenwich Mean Time

21:53 GMT

Hugh Schofield
Paris Correspondent

Normally when a democratic country passes through turbulence, there is some prospect of the turbulence coming to an end.

Not today in Paris. If anything, the downfall of Michel Barnier – toppled in parliament by a no-confidence motion – threatens to set a pattern for what lies ahead.

For if Michel Barnier – a moderate of the centre-right with a reputation for courtesy and compromise – was unable to pass a budget, then who else can?

The original cause of the crisis has not gone away. It is the division since July of the National Assembly into three roughly equal blocs, none of which is prepared to deal with another.

As a result the two blocs that make up the opposition will always be able to unseat the one bloc that forms a government.

Add to that a mood of near-insurrection on some opposition benches – plus an ideological push for ever more generous spending pledges, despite stark warnings about the national debt – and the idea of a return to serene central politics seems very distant.

French political analyst Salome Saque tells the BBC News Channel "the vote was expected but unprecedented".

“We are deeper into a political crisis that we were already facing," she says.

As the budget will not pass, Saque says the government "will need to pass some special laws for specific areas in the economy so the country can keep moving".

The political parties are positioning themselves for elections in 2027, she adds.

"They care more about how they are seen than what they are doing," she says, adding "the winner is the far right in France."

The BBC has been speaking to Fabrice Leggeri, an MEP from Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party.

He says his party doesn’t want to take on prime ministerial responsibilities now it's vacant and it had the interest of French citizens in mind when it voted in favour of ousting Michel Barnier.

“Our reading of the budget law was that it was very bad for French people, bad for the French economy, without any solution to streamline administrative services and public service in order to cut bad spending.”

Leggeri says his party expects the next prime minister will not only be "polite" with the National Rally, but will take the party’s viewpoint on board as much as possible – something he claims Michael Barnier did not do.

Image source, Reuters

Soon after the result of the no-confidence vote on PM Michel Barnier's government politicians from across the political spectrum spoke to reporters.

Mathilde Panot, who heads the left-wing opposition party France Unbowed (LFI), says "today is a historic day" as Barnier's government and the "violent budget" have fallen.

Now, Panot adds, "we are calling on Macron to go" as she repeated calls for early presidential elections.

Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far-right National Rally party, says the budget that led to PM Michel Barnier's downfall was "toxic for the French".

"The only dignified solution for those who were given the mandate to protect them, was to oppose this budget," she adds.

In an interview with French broadcaster TF1 Le Pen says there was "no other solution" than to oust Barnier from his post.

Asked about the French president's prospects, Le Pen says: "I am not asking for the resignation of Emmanuel Macron."

However, she adds, that there will "come a time when, if we do not respect the voice of voters and show respect for political forces and respect for elections," then pressure on the president will "obviously be stronger and stronger".

Image source, EPA

The French President will give a televised speech to the nation at 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday, the Élysée presidential palace says.

Emmanuel Macron, who has just returned to France following a state visit to Saudi Arabia, has previously said he would not resign whatever the outcome of Wednesday's vote.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who leads the far-left France Unbowed - part of the broader left alliance which tabled the no confidence vote - has taken to X to express his pleasure that the "inevitable censorship" has passed and Barnier's government has fallen.

"Even with a Barnier every three months, Macron will not last three years," he added, in reference to President Macron's remaining time in office.

The next presidential elections are due by April 2027, but ahead of the no-confidence vote some had called for Macron to resign.

The vote was unambiguouspublished at 19:46 Greenwich Mean Time

19:46 GMT

Hugh Schofield
Paris correspondent

A majority of 288 ballots was needed. In the end MPs from the left-wing bloc and from Marine Le Pen’s National Rally combined to reach a total of 331.

As a result Michel Barnier is now obliged to present the resignation of his government, and the budget which was the cause of his downfall is now defunct.

It's a worrying moment for France, because there is no obvious prospect of the political crisis being resolved any time soon.

No new parliamentary elections can be held until July, so the current deadlock in the Assembly where no group can hope to have a working majority is set to continue.

Nonetheless, President Macron is expected to act fast to appoint a new man or woman to form a government – not least because US President elect Donald Trump is due in Paris this weekend for the re-opening of Notre Dame cathedral, and Macron does not want the embarrassment of a non-existent government.

MPs voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion against Barnier - by 331 votes - just three months after he was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron.

MPs were not able to vote against it and could only vote for, or abstain.

France's PM Michel Barnier has been ousted as left and far right parties unite to vote in support of a motion of no confidence.

It marks the first time the France's government has collapsed in a no-confidence vote since 1962.

Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter

If the motion of no-confidence passes this would lead to the fall of the French government - the first time it has collapsed to a no-confidence vote since 1962.

If this happens, Barnier is likely to stay on as caretaker as France's President Emmanuel Macron chooses a successor.

This was no easy task in the summer, when it took Macron two months to choose a name that wouldn't immediately be shot down by one of the large parliamentary factions.

There's also a possibility that Macron appoints an unelected technocrat government - but this likely wouldn't last long as they struggle to be seen as legitimate.

We do know for sure that a new election is not an option. Under the French constitution they cannot be called within a year of the previous polls, which in this case took place last July.

Now that the prime minister's speech has ended, voting has begun on whether to censure him and remove him from his post.

The session of the National Assembly should resume at about 20:20 local time (19:20 GMT) at which point we're likely to hear the result.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

The prime minister now says that he is "not afraid" of being voted out, and has "rarely been afraid" in his long political career.

Michel Barnier says what is most important "is our capacity to take steps towards each other" and to "go above the general interest" to take steps forward, whether they are big or small.

He says that if he is kept in power, he is willing to work constructively with anyone who seeks these aims.

Ending his speech, Barnier says it has "been an honour" to have served as prime minister, even if it was only for a matter of months and that it would continue to be an honour, despite the outcome of the vote.

The prime minister then receives a standing ovation.

Image source, Reuters

The prime minister is speaking now in the National Assembly, telling those present that voting him out of office will not solve the country's financial problems.

"We have reached a moment of truth, of responsibility," he says, adding that "we need to look at the realities of our debt".

"It is not a pleasure that I propose difficult measures," Barnier adds.

He also defends pushing his budget through without parliamentary consultation, saying he worked with both chambers of parliament to develop the document.

Image source, Reuters

If you're just joining us and are catching up on the latest developments, French MPs are holding a debate in the National Assembly ahead of a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

It has been heated at times, with Laurent Wauquiez of the Republicans accusing the far right and radical left, which have both tabled motions of no confidence, of choosing chaos over responsibility.

The right and left say Barnier has failed to listen to their demands over the budget, which he pushed through on Monday without parliamentary support - resulting in today's vote.

We have not heard from the prime minister yet, who is sitting in the chamber, but are expecting to at some point.

Voting is expected to start soon - some time after 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT). MPs will then have 45 minutes to cast their vote. They must either vote yes or abstain.

If 288 MPs votes in support of the motion, Barnier will lose his job and his government will collapse.

Stay with us as we bring you all the latest updates.

Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter

Voting will start some time after 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT). MPs will have 45 minutes to cast their vote - they can either vote in favour of the motion of no-confidence or abstain, but they cannot vote "no".

288 votes are needed for the motion to be adopted and the government to collapse.

In total, more than 320 MPs have already committed to voting for no-confidence - so even if a handful change their minds, the motion should garner more than the required total.