In France, far right and far left lawmakers joined forces to topple the government, passing

a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Barnier and his cabinet.

It is the first time in more than 60 years that a French government has lost a confidence vote,

and it throws the European Union's second largest economy into turmoil as it struggles with high debt and a massive budget deficit.

The toppling of the French Prime Minister causes a massive headache

for French President Emmanuel Macron just days before he receives President-elect

Donald Trump in Paris.

As one president returns to the world stage, could another one's days be numbered?

Welcome to PowerPlay Politico's Transatlantic Weekly podcast, and this week it's a

jeue de povoire, a game of thrones in politics in France.

I'm Anne McHelvoy, and if you haven't already, please do take a moment to follow this podcast.

France is convulsed by crisis after its government suffered the humiliation of losing a no-confidence

vote the first time in over 60 years.

That follows a standoff between Prime Minister Michel Barnier,

outnumbered in Parliament after a clash with Marine Le Pen's far-right national rally. Mr. Barnier

had been battling to reassure jittery markets and pass a budget to fill a black hole in French

finances. But he wouldn't concede to many of Le Pen's

demands. Could his downfall hasten the demise of Emmanuel Macron himself and even trigger a financial

crisis in the Eurozone's second largest economy? To chew over a dramatic week in Paris and its

reverberations for France's relations across Europe

and with the US too, I'm calling up Marion Soletti, Politico's executive editor and

Alexandre Cushner, commentator and political analyst at the renowned Cianz Poe University.

...