LIVE - Confidence vote: "There is a hemorrhage of everything the country produces," insists François Bayrou

The rhetoric remains the same: François Bayrou refuses to make Monday's vote of confidence a vote for or against the prime minister . According to him, the question is: is the situation serious? "If you represent the French people, ask yourselves where the national interest lies," he told parliamentarians.

"This decision they're going to make will create instability in your country. And what do the French want? All the polls show it, they want stability. And so, if you are a representative of the people, then you have to ask yourself where the national interest lies.

"I said something very simple: this vote is a vote on the assessment of the situation in the country. Is this situation in the world, as I have just shown, serious and urgent?"

Also read : Vote of confidence: the very uncertain future of the 2026 budget

The Prime Minister is continuing his educational mission, which he began after the vote of confidence was announced: debt is a mortal danger that "weakens us permanently." "Every year, France creates a little more wealth than the previous year, about 50 billion. All of this 50 billion and more is paid to our creditors and goes abroad," François Bayrou emphasized.

"There is a hemorrhage in the country, a hemorrhage of everything the country produces, of everything we produce together, which is going to our creditors, those who lent us and who are 60% abroad, which is very different from other countries."

Also read: 5,000 euros of debt per second, antibiotic consumption: the truth behind Bayrou's shock phrases

François Bayrou 's interview began on BFMTV/RMC. In five days, will he leave Matignon? That's not how the former sees things, he assures us.

" Everyone has their faults, their qualities and their defects. Mine are certainly very numerous, but there is one fault that I do not have, it is being defeatist , it is considering that everything is written, that it is enough to give up. "

Also read: In Cannes, David Lisnard says he "does not trust François Bayrou to straighten out the country"

Invited on TF1, the former Prime Minister criticized the government's budget project, deeming it "unfair, ineffective and unsustainable." "It is in line with the Macronist policy which failed and was disavowed at the ballot box in 2024," recalled Dominique de Villepin , mocking the "famous trickle-down doctrine [which] did not happen."

For the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, the urgent need is to "build a financial recovery budget" which will require an " effort " from the State, local authorities and the most well-off. But to achieve this, "we need a new political system based on cohabitation" . Emmanuel Macron must therefore "bring forth a majority of projects in the National Assembly" by entrusting "prefiguration work" to the future head of government .

"We must start with the bloc that came out on top in the last elections," urged Dominique de Villepin, referring to the left-wing NFP coalition. "If it fails, then we will turn to the central bloc," he continued, assuring that this reasoning should be extended to the National Rally. "In the event of successive failures, the only option left will be dissolution , " concluded the former prime minister.

This is unlikely to change the outcome of next Monday's election. François Bayrou continues his meetings with party and parliamentary group leaders at Matignon this Wednesday. He will be meeting with Marc Fesneau and Maud Gatel, vice-president and secretary-general of the Modem, respectively, at 12:30 p.m.

In the afternoon, it will be the turn of Éric Ciotti , president of the UDR, and Gérault Verny, its deputy secretary general. Finally, at 4 p.m., Laurent Panifous, president of the Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories ( Liot ) group, will be received at Matignon, along with MPs Charles de Courson , Jean-Pierre Bataille, Michel Castellani and Christophe Naegelen.

Also read: Christophe de Voogd: “Post-Bayrou, a Machiavellian scenario”

As his consultations at Matignon continue today, the Prime Minister will be a guest on the BFMTV & RMC morning show at 8:20 a.m. He will answer questions from Apolline de Malherbe . On this occasion, the head of government could make announcements on the controversial measure to abolish two public holidays.

A " return to the polls "! This has been the RN's leitmotif for several days . Unsurprisingly, Jordan Bardella sealed François Bayrou's fate yesterday, announcing after his meeting with the Prime Minister that " the miracle [had] not taken place ."

The Prime Minister also received Place Publique yesterday, the small left-wing party of Raphaël Glucksmann . But the left, too, already seems to be looking ahead to the post-Bayrou era.

Has the President already mourned François Bayrou? While the Prime Minister was struggling with the leaders of the parliamentary groups, Emmanuel Macron was bringing together the heads of the government coalition. The head of state urged Gabriel Attal ( Renaissance ), Édouard Philippe ( Horizons ) and Bruno Retailleau ( Les Républicains ) to " work with the socialists " and all other parties, except LFI and the RN .

Also read : "Olivier Faure is one of the keys": Macron looks to the left for Matignon, Retailleau opposes it

Time is running out for François Bayrou . Only five days separate the Prime Minister from the vote of confidence that should – barring a miracle – lead him to leave Matignon.

The Béarn native, who yesterday unsuccessfully tried to save his life by meeting with parliamentary group leaders, spoke this morning on the BFMTV/RMC morning show. Follow the situation with us.

Also read: Confidence, dissolution, resignation... What is the position of the main political leaders?