Barnier’s government collapsed after MPs overwhelmingly backed an initiative against him, just three months after he was appointed by Macron.
The vote to remove Barnier was the first time a French government had been dismissed by parliament in more than 60 years, a move Macron called “unprecedented” on Thursday night.
He thanked Barnier for his “commitment” and “unwillingness to give up” during his short tenure, but that he would not be resigning.
“The mandate that you democratically entrusted me with is designed for five years, and I will bring it to the end,” he said.
Macron accused the French far right and hard left of collaborating in an “anti-republican front”.
Addressing voters directly, he said some of his political opponents had chosen “chaos” and were not thinking “about you, the voters,” suggesting they were interested in the next presidential election.
The French government said Barnier would remain in his post on an interim basis with his ministers until a new government is appointed.
Names for a new prime minister are being floated, including Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Interior Minister Bruno Retailo and former centrist presidential candidate Francois Bayroux.
Macron added that the country could not afford to be “static”, that he would announce a new prime minister in the coming days, and that the government’s immediate focus would be the 2025 budget.
