The prospects of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's minority government surviving in the long term appeared slimmer after the Socialist Party raised the threat of backing a no-confidence vote on Thursday.

New French Prime Minister François Bayrou is considering changing the voting system for the National Assembly, he said in his first government statement on Tuesday. The 73-year-old has long been a proponent of introducing proportional representation in France.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers his general policy speech, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 at the National Assembly in Paris