The future for French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government looks bleak, with his struggles to push the 2025 budget through a polarised parliament increasingly likely to end in the toppling of his fragile coalition.

A bitter debate is now unfolding inside the ruling class over how to recalibrate its policies, that will confront it, sooner rather than later, with explosive working class opposition.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s finance chief said Wednesday her lawmakers have not yet decided if they will vote to bring down the French government in a no-confidence motion over the budget.

By Harry Robertson and Amanda Cooper LONDON (Reuters) -French stocks and bonds fell sharply on Wednesday, driving the premium the government pays for long-term borrowing to its highest since the euro zone debt crisis of 2012,