At 80 years old, Mohamed stands behind his fruit stall at the Aligre market in central Paris, greeting customers with a warm smile and sharp wit. A pensioner and former emergency worker in a private hospital, he mans his stand not for profit, but to stay active and to make ends meet.

France's Prime Minister François Bayrou faces a confidence vote on Monday (September 8), which he is expected to lose, plunging the euro zone's second largest economy deeper into political crisis.

“I’ve worked 40 years,” he says, “I get a 1,200 euro pension and my rent is 1,200 euros. I have no social benefits, nothing, despite having been here for 60 years as a Franco-Algerian.”

Born in Algeria, Mohamed, who refused to give his surname, arrived in France in 1964. He became a French citizen and votes in every election. But today, he says, he feels disillusioned.

“Macron, he’s like... you know, where I come from we decorate couscous with vegetables. Macron is like that, he decorates and that’s it,” he jokes, laughing and greeting shoppers.

Yet behind the humour lies frustration.

“I had never seen people go through bins to find food,” he says. “It’s sad, we’re not headed in the right direction. France is finished, finished, it’s over.”

Mohamed’s stall is a fixture of the Aligre market, nestled in a square named after the first president of the Paris parliament.

“What ever political colour, it doesn’t change anything,” he says. “We won’t get a majority in parliament. And this will give leeway to the National Rally.”

Despite his cynicism, Mohamed said he will vote for Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, if he runs for president in the next elections.

“At least he fights for a cause and it’s a just cause,” he says. “I always used to vote for the left, then I gave them up, turned to the right. Today there’s only him or the National Rally. Those people have never been in power. We need to try and see what comes out of it.”

Mohamed’s concerns go beyond politics. He worries about the future, especially for his children.

“My life is behind me. But what about the children? I have a son who today cannot afford renting a flat. So he lives at my place. He’s 40 years old.”

As France faces political gridlock and economic uncertainty, Mohamed’s views echo through the market alleys and beyond.

“Come back in 10 days and you’ll see nothing will have changed,” he says. “France is torn apart. And everyone wants to become a prime minister. As we say at home, if you’re the mayor and I’m the mayor, who will look after the camels?”

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 3, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. 80 YEARS-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, AT HIS FRUIT STAND

2. SHOPPERS IN FOOD MARKET

3. STREET NAME READING (French): "Aligre Square, first president of the parliament of Paris"

4. MOHAMED SPEAKING TO CLIENT

5. FRUIT PRICE/MOHAMED AND CLIENT

6. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 80 YEARS-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, SAYING:

"Macron, he's like... you know, where I come from we decorate couscous with vegetables. Macron is like that, he decorates and that's it. (LAUGHING AN TURNING TO CUSTOMERS) Hello ladies."

7. MOHAMED AT FRUIT STAND

8. VARIOUS OF CLIENT SPEAKING TO MOHAMED

9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 80-YEAR-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, SAYING:

"I had never seen people go through garbage bins to find food, what's that about? What's that? When you see some are rolling in money. It's sad, it's sad, we're not headed in the right direction. Listen to me, I'm 80 years old and one day you'll remember what I'm telling you: France is finished, finished, it's over."

10. VARIOUS OF MOHAMED SERVING CLIENT

11. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 80 YEAR-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, SAYING:

"Money is misused. France is badly managed. Some of the rich have become richer and the poor are now poorer. I've worked 40 years. 40 years. I get a 1,200 euros pension (per month) and my rent is 1,200 euros. I have no social benefits, nothing despite having been here for 60 years as a Franco-Algerian. My children are French and so? Thankfully my children help me out otherwise I wouldn't cope."

12. CLIENT GIVING MONEY/MOHAMED HANDING FRUIT

13. MOHAMED AND CLIENT

14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 80-YEARS-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, SAYING:

"Whatever political colour, it doesn't change anything, we won't get a majority (in parliament), we'll still be with the same problem, it will still be the same problem. And this will give leeway to the National Rally (far-right party), that's it, that's what it will come down to. It won't change anything my friend, honestly, come back and see me and we'll see. I will vote. But it won't change a thing, nothing at all. There you go."

15. VARIOUS OF MOHAMED WITH CLIENTS

16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 80-YEAR-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, SAYING:

"I will vote for Melenchon (Leader a far-left party France Unbowed, Jean-Luc Melenchon). At least he fights for a cause and it's a just cause. Whether you like it or not, it's a just cause. I always used to vote for the left, and then I gave them up, turned to the right and today there's only him or the National Rally (far-right party). Those people (President Emmanuel Macron and his allies) have never been in power. They've (far-right and far-left) never been in power so we need to try them out. We need to try and see what comes out of it."

17. VARIOUS OF SHOPPERS ON MARKET

18. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 80-YEAR-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, SAYING:

"Come back in 10 days and you'll see nothing will have changed. There won't be a majority (in parliament), there will be no budget... Why? Because France is torn apart. It's over, over. France is torn apart. And everyone wants to become a prime minister. As we say at home, if you're the mayor and I'm the mayor, who will look after the camels."

19. FRUIT/MOHAMED AND CLIENT

20. (SOUNDBITE) (French) 80 YEARS-OLD PENSIONER AND FRUIT SELLER, MOHAMED, SAYING:

"My life is behind me. But what about the children? It's the children. I have a son who today cannot afford renting a flat. So he lives at my place. He lives with me and he's 40 years old."

21. PEOPLE ON MARKET

PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - JULY 7, 2024) (REUTERS - Access all)

22. PARIS STREET WITH EIFFEL TOWER IN THE DISTANCE