ouster. police in new for his ouster. police in new york use facial recognition in the hunt for a man who shot dead the boss of a major us health company. hello and welcome. i'm luxmy gopal. we start this hour with a historic moment in french political history. in the past hour, michel barnier arrived at the elysee palace to present his resignation to president macron. he becomes the shortest serving prime minister in the history of modern france. for the first time in more than 60 years, mps have brought down the government by a no—confidence vote by mps. the vote was decisive. 288 votes were needed to unseat mr barnier. in the end, 331 were cast to remove him. the budget, which was the cause of his downfall, is now defunct. france has been plagued by political uncertainty

since the summer election resulted in a hung parliament, a result that can't be changed in an election before next july. let's speak to our southern europe correspondent mark lowen, who is in paris. it seems france has lurched from one political crisis to another, all of course connected by this thread of division over the conditions facing people there. it division over the conditions facing people there. it really is a very very _ facing people there. it really is a very very divided - is a very very divided political atmosphere now, which was illustrated most vividly in this confidence vote which passed last night. the first time a french prime minister has been brought down by a parliamentary vote since 1962, that gives you a sense of how historic this is, michel barnier is now in the building behind me e the elysee palace,

the office of president macron where he is tendering his resignation and president macron is under pressure to act fast to find a new prime minister to steady the ship amid the political chaos and instability that france is facing with very high debt level, a deficit which is twice the level demanded by the european union, last week france's borrowing costs on the international market matched that of greece, which was the country that sparked the eurozone debt crisis more than a decade ago, that shows you how concerned the markets are, all of this happening while wars rage on europe's doorstep, president—elect trump is weeks away from entering the white house which could be a period of real instability on the other side of the atlantic and france, at the centre of the european union, the block's second largest economy, second most important power is going through a real period of instability which is shaking this country to the core. what choice could _ this country to the core. what

choice could president - this country to the core. what| choice could president macron make in replacing michel barnier given there is a decision —— division between the right and left and a centrist approach hasn't seemed to have worked? his centrist approach hasn't seemed to have worked?— to have worked? his centrist approach _ to have worked? his centrist approach hasn't _ to have worked? his centrist approach hasn't worked - to have worked? his centrist approach hasn't worked and | to have worked? his centrist i approach hasn't worked and he came into office here in first in 2017, promising to renew the centre ground here in france, in fact he has pushed the left further left and the right further left and the right further right. he has poll rised even further, so he faces a very difficult choice now, because after snap parliamentary elections over the the summer he called. he didn't need to call them, but he called them early, a coalition of left wings parties came out on top. they didn't get a majority but they were the largest party or largest grouping in parliament, but he chose not to name a prime ministerfrom the left, chose not to name a prime minister from the left, he chose to name michel barnier, who is a centre—right politician, and this really infuriated the left, so they are saying their time is now, to have a prime minister, likewise on the far right you

have marine le pen of the national rally, whose party is clamouring for potentially for a prime ministerial post and is rising in parliament, so is he going to go for either or is he going to go for either or is he going to go for either or is he going to go for a technocrat which france has never had, to steer this country through naming a budget for next year, passing a budgets for next year and getting through the next months of stormy waters, there is no easy question e and the fact of matter is, even if a new prime minister will by a pointed as early as this evening, we expect president macron to make a prime time announcement the same problem also remain. announcement the same problem also remain-— also remain. given this was a no confidence _ also remain. given this was a no confidence over— also remain. given this was a no confidence over the - also remain. given this was a | no confidence over the budget and that is still going to be part of the issue, how much of a ramification, a knock on effect is this potentially going to have across wider europe, given the economic issue us under pinning this? well, look, i mean the

franco—german motor has traditionally driven europe, and yet look at both of them, they are both in political sort of crisis/stalemate. depends on which side of the line you fall. this country in political crisis, germany's ruling party, the spd is breaking down, there are snap elections in the spring there which the chancellor is like there to lose, so you have the pillars of stability in europe that are deeply unstable at the moment, and that is the, that is, the beneficiary of that if you like, are the populist party, the far right, that is sweeping making sweeping gains across europe, and as i say, you know, we are a few weeks away from donald trump coming in to the white house, when europe will be called upon to be more united, more stable, step up to the plate and be a counter balance to a trump second term, and that is absolutely the opposite of what we are seeing so that is why the

repercussions and the ripples from here in paris are spreading far beyond france's borders for and president macron is aware of that. he is meant to be opening net redam, the restoration of notre—dame cathedral on saturday, he is welcoming president—elect trump here for his first overseas visit since he became president—elect. people will be saying net redam is opening but france can't get its political house in order.— france can't get its political house in order. thank you mark. we will return _ house in order. thank you mark. we will return to _ house in order. thank you mark. we will return to him _ house in order. thank you mark. we will return to him in - house in order. thank you mark. we will return to him in paris - we will return to him in paris with more on what is an historic moment in french politics as the developments continue. in south korea, the country's ruling party has said it will not vote to remove the president from office, after his failed attempt to bring the country under martial law. the opposition is now trying to convince enough law—makers to defect to their side before a vote on saturday night. president yuun�*s shock announcement on tuesday night caused chaos in the country and was quickly

overturned by parliament. the defence minister has taken responsibility for the situation and resigned. he now faces a travel ban as prosecutors investigate. there has still been no word from the president. let's get the latest from my colleague steve lai, who is in seoulfor us. notre—dame is opening but france can't get its political house in order. thank you mark. we will return to him in paris with more on what is an historic moment in french politics as the developments continue. steve... ., , continue. steve... . , ., steve... thanks, it is about 7 o'clock here _ steve... thanks, it is about 7 o'clock here in _ steve... thanks, it is about 7 o'clock here in seoul, - steve... thanks, it is about 7 o'clock here in seoul, the - steve... thanks, it is about 7| o'clock here in seoul, the sun has gone down the working day has gone down the working day has come to an end but the protests have continued throughout the day, different interest group, and political parties as well, have been protesting, and making their voice heard with regards to what has happened here in the last 48—hours following that decree for martial law even though it has been rescinded now, there is a vigil happens this evening and now that the working day has ended we expect those participants making their way to the rallies to increase, worth noting there have been some rallies in support of president yoon as well. now,

the big talking point at the moment, though, in the last few hours is to do with the impeachment of vote, which is going to be taking place on saturday at 7 #378. those party members that are pushing for this to happen, they have 192 members of parliament, that can, they have to vote on it but they need toe reach a 200 vote e there are 300 members of parliament in the general assembly so they need eight deinfection fors from the ruling marty, to come over to join their side to push the motion for in impeachment to go through. you mentioned earlier that the leading party, the pppp the incumbent party have said shea have voting in a block to block it. if that is the case that is what will happen. we have heard that five mps happen. we have heard that five mp5 from the ruling party have now come out to say they are undecided, and they haven't decided which way they are going to vote. could through be some rift in the leading party here which could open the door

perhaps for this impeachment motion to go through, though they will need there will be to find three more votes before that happens. i spoke earlier to a lecturer in korean studies at the university of sheffield about this process. figs at the university of sheffield about this process.— about this process. as you already proved, _ about this process. as you already proved, so - about this process. as you already proved, so once i about this process. as you | already proved, so once the pr0posal_ already proved, so once the proposal is supported by at least — proposal is supported by at least two thirds of the national assembly, the resolution is signed and then the president is immediately loses — the president is immediately loses his power, from his office. _ loses his power, from his office, but then, it doesn't mean _ office, but then, it doesn't mean that the whole impeachment process— mean that the whole impeachment process will be completed, so after — process will be completed, so after the _ process will be completed, so after the president loses his power. _ after the president loses his power, once the resolution, if the resolution is set by the majority— the resolution is set by the majority vote, then the prime minister— majority vote, then the prime minister will automatically be a deputy of the president, but then_ a deputy of the president, but then the, _ a deputy of the president, but then the, we are seeing that then the, we are seeing that the prime minister was also, might— the prime minister was also, might have been part of the cabinet. _ might have been part of the

cabinet, review of the first martial_ cabinet, review of the first martial law deck lara before it is announced. once the national assembly— is announced. once the national assembly members pass the proposal of impeachment, then it is brought to the constitutional of korea, so that — constitutional of korea, so that will _ constitutional of korea, so that will be viewed and a resolution for impeachment, the judges. — resolution for impeachment, the judges, they have to in legal terms — judges, they have to in legal terms it— judges, they have to in legal terms it means to up hold the resolution, then it is only then— resolution, then it is only then the _ resolution, then it is only then the impeachment process is completely completed, in legal process, — completely completed, in legal process, and then, after then, if the — process, and then, after then, if the legal impeachment process is completed within 60 days _ process is completed within 60 days from then, the president, the election to elect a new president must take place, within— president must take place, within 60 days. so _ within 60 days. sojust to remind you, so just to remind you, that vote, that crucial impeachment vote, that crucial impeachment vote is set to take place at 7pm on saturday, they could have had this vote take place

in the early hours of friday, but there was some concern they weren't going to but there