September 1, 2025 4:49 PM
French PM starts talks with opposition, seeking to avert government collapse
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou will kick off a series of talks with France's political parties on Monday, seeking to avert the collapse of his government in a confidence vote next week that opposition leaders said is bound to fail. Opposition parties have said they will bring down the minority government in the September 8 vote, which Bayrou unexpectedly announced last week as he seeks to push through unpopular plans for a budget squeeze in 2026. French stock and bond markets fell sharply last...