Briefly

FRANCE

Le Pen threatens to withdraw govt support

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen issued a new threat on Monday to bring down France's coalition government in a no-confidence vote after talks with Prime Minister Michel Barnier failed to satisfy her party's demands for budget concessions. Le Pen said she was not optimistic a compromise on the belt-tightening 2025 budget bill could be reached. Reflecting the growing risk that Barnier's government could fall, the premium investors' demand to hold French bonds over German ones flirted with highs not seen in over 12 years.