PARIS - A majority of French people want new parliamentary and presidential elections, opinion polls showed on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's minority government looking likely to collapse next month.

Two thirds of people surveyed in two of the three polls also wanted President Emmanuel Macron to resign, and the far-right National Rally (RN) got the most backing to lead the next government in one poll, although not a majority.

The polling points to a deepening of the uncertainty and dissatisfaction with politics in a country that has had only minority cabinets and fragmented parliaments since Macron's re-election in 2022.

Bayrou's surprise announcement on Monday that he will seek a confidence vote on September 8 over his 2026 budget plans has thrown France back into crisis, prompting a steep selloff in its stocks and bonds.

The main opposition parties said they would vote against him, meaning the government is all but certain to fall.

If the government falls, Macron could name a new prime minister immediately or call a snap parliamentary election. Some opposition figures have said he should resign.

Macron said last week he does not want a snap election, and has ruled out resigning.

Macron lost his previous prime minister, Michel Barnier, to a no-confidence vote over the budget in late 2024, after Barnier had been in office just three months following a previous snap election.

But a vast majority of French people want parliament dissolved for another election, separate surveys by Ifop, Elabe and Toluna Harris Interactive pollsters showed. The surveys showed from 56% to 69% of those polled want snap parliamentary elections.

The Elabe poll for BFM TV showed 67% wanted Macron to resign if Bayrou loses the confidence vote. The Ifop poll for LCI showed a similar result.

BULGING DEBT

The Toluna Harris Interactive poll for RTL showed 41% would want the RN to lead the nex...