France’s government is on the brink of collapse as PM Michel Barnier vowed to force through draft tax and spending plans without parliamentary approval in the face of a no confidence vote backed by Marine Le Pen. He said. ““We have arrived at a moment of truth. It is now up to members of the parliament to decide if our country gets a responsible, indispensable budget or if we step into uncharted territory.” France with its bloated state-sector costs is facing a financial crisis which has proved impossible to tackle given public determination to hang onto past securities.
If Barnier’s government falls it would make him France’s shortest-serving premier since 1958. Emmanuel Macron appointed him after the gamble on a summer election backfired, leaving Macron’s centrist coalition far short of a majority in the National Assembly. Macron would have to name another prime minister if the motion of no confidence succeeds.
France was always in for a quagmire phase with tr Neptune opposition its Virgo Sun from May 2024 on and off till March 2026. And the astro-detail has been covered in several recent posts.
La France – the day of confusion has arrived 8th July 2024
France – teetering on the brink 1st July 2024
France – Macron’s desperate gamble 10th June 2024 by Marjorie
What is intriguing is that Michel Barnier, 9 January 1951 4.40 pm La Tronche, France, has his terrifyingly stubborn 8th house Mars Moon in Aquarius opposition Pluto sitting exactly on top of France’s revolutionary (can-be-violent and defiant) Pluto in Aquarius opposition Uranus which squares Mars in Scorpio. A gladiatorial conflict of earth-shaking proportions.
Barnier’s appointment, 5 September 2024 does have a 13 degree Virgo Sun which is exactly now facing the tr Saturn opposition which could spell a speedy end. If he staggers on in situ then tr Neptune Saturn into Aries square the PMship Mars from April 2025 onwards hints at setbacks and failure.
Later this month to mid March 2025 is another trigger point with both Macron’s Presidency charts starting on a 23 degree Taurus Sun which will catch the tr Uranus conjunction from Dec 21st onwards. That also flags up on Barnier’s relationship chart with France.
In the unlikely event of Barnier being left in place his relationship with Le Pen will not improve in the next three years.
Barnier himself, no matter what happens, will have a few moments of cheer from May 2025 onwards into 2026 with two of his Jupiter midpoints picking up traction.
Vive la Republique et vive la France. Confit de canard.
“Barnier’s appointment, 5 September 2024 does have a 13 degree Virgo Sun which is exactly now facing the tr Saturn opposition which could spell a speedy end.”
Thanks Marjorie. I noticed that the Macron Presidency chart has Neptune 13 Pisces, square Mars 15 Gemini. December’s Jupiter in Gemini square Saturn in Pisces is 14 degrees, and has a legal or maybe legislative flavour, albeit a confusing one, that may indicate further difficulties?
What’s also curious are some historical links to mid mutables for France:
Execution of Louis XIV, 21 January, 1793: Nodes 16 Virgo/Pisces, Venus 11 Pisces
Napoleon’s first abdication, 6 April, 1814: Venus 13 Pisces Rx, Neptune 17 Sagittarius
Napoleon’s second abdication, 22 June, 1815: Neptune, 18 Sagittarius, Chiron 13 Pisces
Macron’s natal Neptune is 16 Sagittarius. Tr Saturn in Pisces squares it again in January. Saturn was last there in April and early May this year, just before Macron called the snap election in early June. Dreams and perhaps delusions are under pressure.
A speedy end indeed, Marjorie! Sun squares Saturn, 13 degrees. Jupiter opposes Macron’s natal Neptune. Sun poised to oppose Jupiter, squaring the first quarter Moon 17 Pisces, on 8th December. Into this chaos steps….
“He (Macron) is expected to name a new prime minister swiftly to avoid the embarrassment of a non-existent government – not least because US President-elect Donald Trump is due in Paris this weekend for the reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral.” BBC
Donald Trump has natal Uranus at 17 Gemini. Allons les enfants de la patrie?
The wheels on the EU bus look extremely wobbly; with the so-called powerhouses (Germany & France) both facing major difficulties. Some form of restructuring might be appropriate. Does anyone have any insight into the EU astrology for the next few years?
The original European community was established on 1 January 1958 when the Treaty of Rome came into Force. The chart has Pluto at 2 Virgo and Mars at 6 Sagittarius so there is a similar mutable square between those planets as in the French 5th Republic chart. It will be activated when Uranus moves into Gemini in 2025 to 2026. Interestingly Ursula Von Der Leyen, the EU President, was born on 8 October 1958 only 4 days after the French 5th Republic was established so has a very similar chart.
When Uranus moves into Gemini from July 2025 and again in 2026 it is going to conjoin the Mars at 2 Gemini and square Pluto at 3 Virgo in the 6 October 1958 5th French Republic chart.
The 1792 progressed Sun and Mars are currently conjunct at 21/22 Taurus and are squaring the natal 1792 Pluto at 21 Aquarius opposition Uranus at 21 Leo.
Transiting Pluto squaring Neptune and Saturn in the 1792 chart and Neptune in the 1958 chart is also an issue.
It looks quite volatile particularly from mid 2025 in to 2026 for the 5th Republic chart
Barnier has passed the budget using section 49.3 of De Gaulle’s Constitution of the 5th republic put in place in 1959. Section 49.3 has no equivalent in the British, Canadian or US constitutions. It allows the government to adopt major legislation surch as the budget without parlieamntary approval when there is a serious blockage at the National Assembly. This exceptional power has been used sparingly in major circumstances, but regularly when the political need arises.
Now that is has achieved Macron’s short-term objective, the fall of the Barnier government would not be so dramatic and certainly not unexpected. It allows both left and far-right to do their poppycock grandstanding and another similar government will ensue. The Constitution allows the President to dissolve the Assembly and to call for new parliamentary elections after one year. This is likely next summer.
Barnier appears to have a political future. He would be a strong candidate for the presidential election in 2027. His short stint as PM has reinforced his credibility and stature.
Barnier will never be president of France…but president of europe…he is too old anyhow.