French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou adopted a combative style in his bid to secure support ahead of a crucial confidence vote on September 8, but admitted that talks with political parties could fail, leading to the overthrow of his government.

“Compromise is a beautiful thing, but I’m not sure it’s possible,” Bayrou said in an interview with French television networks on Sunday night. His statement followed statements by several opposition leaders who ruled out support.

France has entered an acute political crisis after Bayrou decided to call a confidence vote in an attempt to break the deadlock over planned spending cuts. A potential fall would add to doubts about whether any government can rein in the eurozone’s biggest budget deficit.

The leader of the far-right National Rally, Jordaan Bardela, and Socialist leader Olivier Four, reiterated that they would vote against the confidence motion. Faure even described his party’s decision as “irrevocable”, saying: “The only word I expect him to say now is ‘goodbye’.”

The political turmoil has already had an impact on markets, with the spread of French 10-year bonds over German bonds topping 80 basis points – levels not seen since January.