THE French government appears likely to fall tonight as the National Assembly is to hold a no-confidence vote.

The lower house of parliament’s largest coalition, the left-wing New Popular Front, and the biggest single party, the far-right National Rally, have both vowed to vote down Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s administration.

Its fall would plunge France into uncharted waters of political chaos.

The vote, which is due to take place after the Morning Star goes to press, follows Mr Barnier using emergency executive powers to force through the widely opposed sections of his proposed 2025 budget concerned with social security legislation.

The National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, is expected to vote for the motion put forward by the left-wing coalition, giving it enough support to pass.

Asked on French television if there was a chance that his government could survive the vote, Mr Barnier replied: “I want this and it is possible. It depends on the MPs.

“I think it is possible that there is this reflex of responsibility where, beyond political differences, divergences, the normal contradictions in a democracy, we tell ourselves that there is a higher interest.”

France has experienced months of political instability following this summer’s snap general election called by President Emmanuel Macron.

The New Popular Front won most seats, but Mr Macron chose to snub it in forming a government and instead appointed Mr Barnier, of the tiny right-wing Republicans, to the premiership.

If his government falls, it would be the first successful no-confidence vote since Georges Pompidou’s government lost one in 1962, when Charles de Gaulle was president.

It would also make Mr Barnier’s premiership the shortest since 1958.

If defeated, he is likely to be asked by Mr Macron to stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new government is appointed, a process that may take months to complete.