France's left-wing party, France Unbowed (LFI), demanded President Emmanuel Macron's resignation after Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government was brought down through a no-confidence vote on December 4. The vote, supported by far-right and left-wing opposition lawmakers, passed with 331 votes, plunging France into a deeper political crisis. LFI’s Mathilde Panot argued that Macron’s entire political agenda had been defeated and called for his departure to resolve the impasse. Barnier, who faced criticism for using special constitutional powers to pass part of an unpopular budget, was expected to resign. The motion followed Macron's decision to call a snap election in June, which led to a polarized parliament. National Rally leader Jordan Bardella, though critical of the government, did not call for Macron’s resignation but opposed the proposed budget, particularly higher taxes. The crisis threatens France’s ability to legislate and address its budget deficit.
Speculation that Kishida would call an election intensified when his public approval ratings rose after he hosted the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, his home base, and a recent opinion poll showed his support still holding mostly solid.
More than 200 people were arrested across the country on Monday evening, police said, after spontaneous protests broke out hours after Macron's government narrowly survived the parliamentary vote.
Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lost the effective majority in the Pakistan National Assembly last month.
The opposition needs a simple majority of 172 votes in Pakistan’s 342-seat Parliament to unseat Imran Khan, a cricket star turned conservative Islamic politician
The powerful Pakistan Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 73 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.
The vote was called last week for Monday by the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, after the Left Party, which Lofven relies on to pass legislation, withdrew its support over his plan to liberalise Sweden's rigid rent control system.