French government collapses, PM Bayrou ousted in shock confidence vote after just 9 months in power

France has plunged deeper into a political crisis as Prime Minister Francois Bayrou lost a confidence vote in parliament after just nine months in office. On September 9, 364 deputies rejected his government while only 194 supported it, making Bayrou the first modern French premier removed by a confidence vote rather than a no-confidence vote.