The far-right leader holds the fate of the country’s government in her hands, as a battle royale over the national budget reaches its denouement and investor anxieties rise.

Barnier warned that toppling the government could cause a "big storm and very serious turbulence" in financial markets. Some analysts believe that France is heading for a debt crisis reminiscent of the near implosion of the eurozone in 2012, when Greece was forced to seek a bailout from the EU and International Monetary Fund.

The far-right National Rally indicated in the strongest language yet that it could topple the French government as soon as this week, hours after Finance Minister Antoine Armand said his administration wouldn’t be blackmailed.

To survive the vote in the fractured lower house, Barnier needs Marine Le Pen's party to abstain, otherwise his government and the budget bill could fall, plunging France into a political crisis.

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government faces a major test over approval of a disputed draft budget, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen threatening a no-confidence vote in parliament should its budget demands not be addressed.

RN lawmaker Marine Le Pen has given Prime Minister Michel Barnier until Monday to yield to the party's budget demands or face the threat that they would back a no-confidence motio

Frances far-right National Rally is intensifying its push against the government, refusing to back down on budget demands and raising the possibility of a no-confidence vote. The fallout could shake political and