PARIS, France (AFP) — French lawmakers on Wednesday voted to oust the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier after just three months in office, a historic move which hurled the country further into political uncertainty.

For the first time in over sixty years, the National Assembly lower house toppled the incumbent government, approving a no-confidence motion that had been proposed by the hard left but which crucially was backed by the far-right headed by Marine Le Pen.

Barnier’s rapid ejection from office comes after snap parliamentary elections this summer which resulted in a hung parliament with no party having an overall majority and the far-right holding the key to the government’s survival.

President Emmanuel Macron now has the difficult task of picking a viable successor with over two years of his presidential term left.

He is to address the nation at 1900 GMT on Thursday, the Elysee said. Earlier in the day, Macron is to receive Barnier at 0900 GMT who will submit the resignation of the government.

The National Assembly debated a motion brought by the hard left in a standoff over next year’s austerity budget, after the prime minister on Monday forced through a social security financing bill without a vote.

With the support of the far-right, a majority of 331 menbers of parliament (MP) in the 577-MP chamber voted to oust the government.

‘Calling on Macron to go’

Macron flew back into Paris just ahead of the vote after wrapping up his three-day state visit to Saudi Arabia, an apparent world away from the domestic crisis.

He strolled earlier Wednesday through the desert sands of the Al-Ula oasis, an iconic tourist project of the kingdom, marveling at ancient landmarks. After landing, he headed direct to the Elysee Palace.

“We are now calling on Macron to go,” Mathilde Panot, the head of the parliamentary faction of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party told reporters, urging “early presidential elections” to solve the deepening political crisis.

Macron on Tuesday had rejected calls to resign, saying such a scenario amounted to “political fiction.”

But taking care not to crow over the fall of the government, Le Pen said in a television interview that her party — once a new premier is appointed — “would let them work” and help create a “budget that is acceptable for everyone.”