Public sentiment is overwhelmingly negative regarding the French government's handling of the political and economic crisis, expressing deep frustration over budget cuts affecting essential services, disillusionment with political leadership, and a desire for fiscal responsibility and reform. Calls for stronger leadership and accountability are prominent, reflecting a climate of anger and urgency for change.

French Government

European Union

Populist Leaders

&gt;PARIS, Aug 26 (Reuters) - France found itself mired in yet another crisis on Tuesday, after Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's gamble to win backing for his deeply unpopular debt-reduction plan backfired, plunging the country deeper into political and financial instability.

&gt;French markets tumbled after Bayrou jolted the political establishment out of its summer slumber on Monday with his unexpected move to seek a September 8 confidence vote on his debt-cutting plan. His proposal was roundly rejected by opposition parties, who said they would relish the opportunity to cut short his minority government's time in office.

ChangeUsername220

This is a neat premise, nice work.

I don’t really see Stalin committing suicide, though. That’s just really not Stalin IMO. Unlike Hitler, Stalin had a history of getting his hands dirty. He was a bandit and revolutionary during the Tsarist days. If anything I see him going on the run or even dying fighting.

seen-in-the-skylight

On 14 May 1936, Marcel Déat was sworn in as the Prime Minister of France, as was his cabinet, made up of USR, SFIO and PRRRS members. 

The first seven months of Déat's two-decade long stay in power were unstable, as his party, the USR, controlled a bare 179 out of 612 parliamentary seats. Furthermore, the PCF led frequent miners and farmers' strikes against the "fascist" Neosocialist government, and the three governing parties often clashed. 

Déat saw this instability as an opportunity to overthrow the Third Republic and replace it with the technocratic dictatorship he had envisioned. To this effect, he struck a secret agreement with Francois de La Rocque, leader of the Croix-de-Feu military league, wherein de La Rocque agreed to crack down on the Communists in exchange for the adoption of some of his policies. Although suspicions arose immediately, this deal was only confirmed after Déat died in 1955.

However, there was little move into a dictatorship until 14 October 1936, when Déat suffered an assassination attempt while on the way to the Élysée Palace. Historians believe the assassin's motivations were personal, but the French government and public blamed communists for the attempt, and on 20 November, the Neosocialists began preparations for a coup d'état. 

[Michel Brille](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Brille), a member of the Democratic Republican Alliance, soon drafted constitutional amendments suspending the articles of the French constitution guaranteeing civil rights and liberties, and strengthening the prime minister at the expense of parliament. The amendments passed on 13 December, in a vote akl governments of the Fifth Republic consider illegal, as many deputies and senators were not present. Four days later, Déat suspended the National Assembly, which was permanently dissolved in 1941, and gave a speech proclaiming the French Fourth Republic.

After overthrowing the French Third Republic in December 1936, French Prime Minister Marcel Déat scheduled a referendum on a new constitution to 14 March 1937. 

This constitution had been drafted by fellow Neosocialist Michel Brille. Among other things, it replaced¹ the National Assembly with an unicameral corporate chamber, declared Déat's National Popular Rally – founded on 22 December 1936 – to be France's only legal political party, abolished most civil rights and liberties, and outlawed strikes and independent unions. The 1937 Constitution did, however, maintain universal suffrage, free education, and the separation of church and state. 

As Déat had already consolidated power by then, the constitution's passage was a foregone conclusion. Supporters of the Third Republic were not allowed to campaign and were physically attacked by the Croix-de-Feu, which served as the Neosocialist regime's de facto paramilitary until growing disagreements between Déat and De La Rocque led to its disarmament in January 1938. 

On 14 March 1937, the new Constitution was approved by 71% of voters, with only two departments – Bordeaux and Strasbourg – voting against it. It went into effect the following day, and remained in effect until the overthrow of Neosocialism in 1971. 

After taking power in France in 1936, Prime Minister Marcel Déat began a rearmament program in order to contain Germany. 

That year, the French military began to adopt radios and maneuver warfare. the latter was overseen by Charles de Gaulle, a right-winger from a monarchist background who tolerated the Neosocialist Fourth Republic and its reforms. 

In June 1937, the National Assembly restored conscription due to increased tensions with France's traditional rival Germany. By the end of the year, 600,000 Frenchmen had been conscripted in metropolitan France, in addition to 55,000 in overseas colonies. The French ministry of war similarly started modernizing its equipment and developing new weapons, as its most numerous ones dated from the end of WWI.

Déat's early foreign policy focused on building an alliance with Italy, whose relations with Germany were strained due to the Austrian question, and on continuing to strengthen France's ties with the Little Entente (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Romania). In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria, substantially increasing tensions. Later that year, the Germans and Hungarians invaded Czechoslovakia, only for Germany to face a joint offensive by France and Italy.

Germany's invasion plan of Czechoslovakia did not work, as Czechoslovakia had extensive defenses in the Sudetenland region the Germans claimed. By October, the Wehrmacht had been defeated at the Battle of Liberec, losing 26,000 men, 150 tanks, and 300 artillery pieces. What followed was a yearlong war of attrition, with Germany managing to defeat the French Army at the Saarland and the Italians at Salzburg. 

On 21 August 1938, the United Kingdom declared neutrality in the Munich War, followed two days later by the Soviet Union and Poland. Yugoslavia and Romania, the other two members of the Little Entente, expressed support for Czechoslovakia and deployed a few thousand volunteers, while the USSR provided Czechoslovakia with 4 tons of weapons. 

By mid-1939, the tide of the war had shifted decisively on the Stresa Front's favour, as shown by an Hungarian defeat at Bratislava by 13 June and the fall of Innsbruck to the Royal Italian Army on 6 July. Later in July, the Battle of Cologne began, with French artillery and bombers shelling the city for weeks before infantry entered and captured Germany's largest industrial town on 17 August. 

The fall of Cologne completely discredited the Nazis, and on 5 September 1939, aristocratic conservative Wehrmacht generals overthrew Hitler and formed a military junta to govern Germany. Other than the SS, the coup faced no resistance, allowing the junta to conduce peace negotiations, culminating in the signature of an armistice in neutral Switzerland on 9 October. 

On 13 December 1939, the Treaty of Stockholm was signed, giving the Rhineland to France and restoring Austria's independence. The French victory allowed the Neosocialists to push for the unification of Europe, from the Atlantic to the Urals.

**Footnote**

- ¹ = This change only took effect in 1941 due to the strong resistance it faced.

GustavoistSoldier

Out of touch world. By 1946 USSR would've been a juggernaut. 5000 tanks and 3000 aircrafts? Multiply by 5 and you have something realistic. And what are these casualties lmao, 1 to 3 while advancing?

NoDoughnut8225

Very minor nitpick, but Bordeaux was the stronghold of neosocialism OTL, it would definitely vote for the constitutional changes.

NoInevitable3187

Would not pre war Deat be more left wing? Like basically technocratic Social democrac? Why should he seek so much support from far right when majority of it at the time were monarchist

Hirmen

pengpow

MaN0purplGuY

Why would Adenauer and Wilhelm II out of all people lead Germany ?

ghibellian

Considering the PM's position, I doubt he would have said anything without the approval of Macron. I wonder if France will veto the deal.

&gt;“It is a sombre day when an alliance of free peoples, brought together to affirm their common values and to defend their common interests, resigns itself to submission,” wrote Bayrou on X.

bukowsky01

Now he knows that he can bully the eu and get whatever he wants..... great job

Locomyg

This "deal" will have much deeper political implications than anything from the sphere of economics. The demonstrative humiliation was already carried out, the rift between the vehement opposers of Europe's vassalage and the "let's wait out for the next US admin" camp widened, and the zugzwang situation achieved.

Populistic grifter parties and the Heritage Foundation are celebrating today and sharpening spears for the pending skewing of Europe in the second half of this decade.

Telochim

As a french this is the first time I'm agree with him... WTF is happening ?! Do basically all Europe is screwed just to "protect" german's automobile industry or I'm missing a point ? (This is a real question)

Affectionate_Call778

This has the stench of the German auto lobby all over it so you'd think that at least here in Germany people would welcome this deal but the BDI (the biggest German industry lobby group) is actually very unhappy.

What do you call a deal that nobody likes? I'd call that a total failure.

Fastluck83

Then, veto it...

We'll see if it's just empty words.

Big_GTU

I'm just hoping for Wallonia to uphand the whole world trade system by refusing to sign it tbh

Ok_Journalist8549

Just proves you can be an absolute shit of a person but everyone will still do business with you.

BadAsBroccoli

Russia pushing on one side. Americans on the other. When Europe is going to wake up and realize the US is not helping anybody but themselves, for pete's sake is in their freaking slogan; AMERICA FIRST.

AintNoGodsUpHere

eloyend

Europe caved to Trump. I don't see anywhere how this benefits the EU - forced investment in the US by the EU, forced defense purchases, forced energy purchases and even after all that the EU STILL gets hit with a 15% tariff. Unfortunately, a clear win for Dribbling Donald and the US bullies.

Everywhereslugs

EU strategy seems like keep your heads down, lick some Trump ass until he goes away.

butwhywedothis

hmtk1976

FrenchCatalan

It's been 24hrs. I still can't shake the embarrassement of this so-called deal. Screw you, Ursula. Go back under the sea.

ToinouAngel

For the life of me I can not understand why the EU agreed to such a "deal"

nolnogax

They haven’t voted on it yet this “deal” won’t get through nor get signed. Trump is just making a big deal of it to distract from the esptein list.

mrmm10

People in charge of it should just be dismissed. Especially Ursula.

Raze_Lighter

I put my aluminium foil hat on my head: I think this US-EU deal is only there to make EU-Mercosur deal seems good in comparison and an alternative to trump deal.

PRKP99

Again, the French are right about the Americans

mariuszmie

As sad as it is, this "trade deal" should serve as a wakeup call for people, as to how irrelevant Europe has become. US wouldn't be able to dictate terms, if this was a deal of equals.

rohnaddict

A total capitulation. It will lead to inflation in both Europe and America and Trump's MAGA morons will gladly thump themselves in the face (pay the tariffs) while claiming they're "owning Europe".

It is time for Europe to grow up. There is no room for timid thinking anymore.

Dyn-O-mite_Rocketeer

What a joke of a deal by some unelected stooges like Von Der failure

kostasnotkolsas

France will do nothing because she is totally alone on that and does not have the means to move even an inch against the US interests 

Germany and Italy pushed for the deal in a desperate attempt to save what they can and other EU countries are either irrelevant, fully aligned on US interests or even acting against us, the French.

FinalPossession3217

So let me get this straight, if the EU exports 400 billion / year to US and we pay 30% taxes on this it would be 120 billion a year minus the 15% we have now it would be 60 billion a year extra cost.

So why can't the EU just pay companies those 60 billion themself instead of giving the US 1500 billion. 60 bill/Year over 25 years would be that same 1.5 trillion. And during those 25 years we could have pressed for new deal. Makes no sense to me. didn't they have a calculator in that meeting room

InfoAboutAutodose

If you think the deal will be revisited once a more "Reasonable" president is elected on the other side of the atlantic, you'r fooling yourself. 

It's not a manoeuver to buy time, VdL just sold eu sovereignty in many sectors

AffectionateFruit982

Niitroglycerine

That’s what you get when electing a European president that has no backbone. This deal is a disaster for Europe, we are actually filling the American pockets, and what don’t these EU politicians understand in building our own defence? 

Keep buying American weapons that they produce in the US, you are weakening our position, how dumb can you be? They have proven to be an unreliable ally.
It started with pulling the budget for NATO up to 5%, and now Trump thinks he can break that piggy bank? Let’s invest it in European technology and industry, let us keep emolument in Europe! 
Let us give Trump a clear answer, you won’t bully the free world! 

And for the 15%? If the EU politicians thinks that is fair, let us drop their salaries with 15%, we’ll see how happy they are!

creatymous

Divide and conquer is working out perfectly for Putin and his agent

Future-Raspberry-780

Bowing to the yanks gets us nothing good. We cynically smile, take what we can, and build a future without reliance on them.

OffOption

We are in this position of weakness because for decades we neglected the most important responsibility of the state: Military defense. We allowed ourselves to become dependent on US protecting us.

This shouldn't be a day of moaning but a day of self-criticism and determination to never let it happen again.

LittleStar854

I have a question: what leverage does the EU even have to demand better?

The EU outsourced its energy needs to Russia, outsourced its military needs to the USA, and overregulated itself into being non competitive in the finance, technology, and healthcare industries. Europeans can get as mad as they want about the situation, but this is the consequences of collective European policy decisions.

Ok_Exit443

Please everyone, contact your governments to let them know you disagree with the deal! We must protect our European values even if our politicians are willing to sell them out for short term gains!

mylordm9

sabotourAssociate

The EU continues to be a joke, surprise surprise! Maybe you should start collecting singantures to put forward the petition of growing some balls.

LarryTheDuckling

Total, shameless, submissive capitulation. Might as well get this over with and hand Trump the EU countries as new US states, if the US policy of the EU is going to be "bending over".

eggnogui

This is the most coward thing the EU has done in a while.

EU products get slammed with 15% tariffs. Steel, aluminium, etc stays at 50%. And the EU has to buy 750 billion Euro worth of "energy".

Von der Leyen has sold out and is kissing Trump's ass.

For fucks sake the EU didn't even put any counter tariffs in place and let US get away with everything.

I hope France and others will veto this bullshit deal and kick Von der Leyen out of the EU parliament.

rimalp

German president of the EU works with German PM to protect German interests at the expense of the rest of Europe.

Between this and their near-feral defence of Israeli genocide German politicians can suck a lemon

Far_Advertising1005

Europeans got mad when they were rightfully called a vassal state of America by China 😡. All that talk from VDL about EU having some sort of nuclear trade retaliation against American tariffs was a farce. 

EU is all talk and no action. They will never be a sovereign bloc nor a stabilizing democratic liberal rules-based order faction. Trump's MAGA political movement will be imported to European countries and there's no one to blame except for themselves.

PotentialValue550

Maybe it's time for Ursula to step back. We need more idealistic leaders in times like this that don't bow to pedos

GallorKaal

Disappointed with Germany's move there. But I have the impression that the Germans are not with his government at the moment.

enkilg

You lot still don't seem to understand who pays for tariffs. You wanted a deal with higher tariffs on US goods?? You want to pay more???

Scholir

[deleted]

An entire new generation of people just discovered the EU is weak and spineless and full of shit and build to protect German interest.

AncientAd6500

Bayrou is a piece of shit, but even a broken clock can be right twice a day

Biosicle

But trade deals with the US aren't real deals anymore. You can withdraw from them whenever you feel like it.

Shavingcream1912

Thank God someone had the balls to call it what it is!

WardenJack

The only European nation to come out of this debacle with any honour is France. Italy and Germany are an absolute disgrace UvdL, Merz and Meloni are nothing short of traitors to Europe. The rest are simply spineless, as for Hungary and that Orban the quicker they are thrown out of the EU the better. 
This is a dark day for Europe.

StrongCelery

I'll say something controversial but here we go:

At the beginning of the Ukraine war, people criticized France for searching a diplomatic option. Here's the logic behind it: Europe has virtually no energies of its own. No oil, no gas, ni uranium, nada. Or energies are the basis of the entire pyramid of power, sovereignty, call it what you want.

So the thinking is simple: to avoid being vassal of one superpower or another, Europe must make them compete between each others. That's what France did back in the cold war: we used to put the US and USSR in competition between each other by working with them both. Here it means Europe needs, and that is existential, to import oil and gas from everyone equally, in order not to be slave of anybody.

Consequence: a quasi-war with Russia is extremely bad news, as de facto it means Europe becomes reliant on the US. The only other major exporter able to replace Russian imports to a degree. Consequence: we continue to import Russian gas via shady means, and increasingly rely on the US.

Today's consequence: between closed doors, here's how the negociations went: "if you don't comply, no gas for you and your economy is destroyed". That's the reason why it is Germany and Italy who folded first. In France we have a little security called nuclear energy, it was literally devised to weather such situations. And it can to a certain degree (it's not much but it's something).

---

I'm not saying here we should have continued to appease Russia. The thinking was: **either we go full-in (direct war with Russia and NATO fleet landing in Crimea), either we abstain from taking sides**. Anything else was suicide for Europe, and today frankly it shows. That's the reason why France supported a diplomatic solution as long as it was still even remotely possible. And that's why both Russia and the US did the opposite: for them both a long war means a submissive Europe. And we've got played by them both, we've been put in a catch-22 situation.

The EU is not and has never been an equal to the United States. This is a very overdue humbling after decades of hubris and denial of reality.

Vast_Egg_957

As a Canadian, this does not bode well for my country.

estherlane

They are shitting all over European citizens with this deal. Von der Leyen is a US puppet and her sole mission seems to be channeling European money to the US. What's next? Handing them over Greenland?

martian_blacksite

More on this subject from other reputable sources:

---
- BBC Online (A): [France heads for political crisis as PM Bayrou risks all on confidence vote](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87ene7r5d1o)
- ZDF (A-): [France: Prime Minister Bayrou announces vote of confidence](https://www.zdfheute.de/politik/ausland/frankreich-francois-bayrou-premier-vertrauensfrage-haushalt-100.html)
- CNN.com (C+): [French prime minister calls risky confidence vote over budget cuts to tackle debt](https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/25/europe/francois-bayrou-french-confidence-vote-intl)
- France 24 (A-): [French PM Bayrou to ask for risky vote of confidence over austerity budget on September 8](https://www.france24.com/en/france/20250825-french-pm-bayrou-vote-of-confidence-austerity-budget-september-8)

---
[__Extended Summary__](https://www.reddit.com/r/newswall/comments/1n0z65s/) | [FAQ &amp; Grades](https://www.reddit.com/r/newswall/comments/uxgfm5/faq_newswall_bot/) | I'm a bot

newswall-org

France's political instability is escalating with a looming confidence vote that could result in government collapse.

Political Crisis in France

Why This Matters

Public Sentiment Summary

Highlighted Comments

Parties Involved

What the people want