MACRON ON THE BRINK: French president faces shock NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE

FRENCH president Emmanuel Macron faces a shock no-confidence vote over claims his government covered up a scandal involving his ex-bodyguard.

Mr Macron's bodyguard Alexandre Benalla sparked fury after being filmed assaulting protesters at May Day protests in Paris.

Shocking footage showed Mr Benalla, who was wearing police riot gear, hitting a male protester and dragging away a woman.

He was later fired and placed under investigation, but political opponents said Mr Macron was slow to react to the scandal.

Critics accused the president of a cover-up by claiming he failed to report the incident as soon as he was made aware of it.

Two French MPs, one from the Republicans and another from the Communist Party, have tabled votes of no-confidence in the government.

Veteran Communist MP Andre Chassaigne said: "Above all, this scandal reveals the abuses of a hyper-presidential regime.

"It shows the ultra-concentration of powers by an elected monarch which undermines the very principle of separation of powers."

Mr Macron's centrist party En Marche! holds a comfortable majority in France's National Assembly.

Emmanuel Macron

French president Emmanuel Macron faces a vote of no-confidence (Image: GETTY)

Trying to bring down a government because one official went out of control?

Gabriel Attal

As a result, the votes against the French president are largely symbolic and cannot bring the government down.

En Marche! spokesman Gabriel Attal claimed political rivals were trying to derail Mr Macron's proposed labour reforms.

He tweeted: "Trying to bring down a government and its reforms because one official went out of control?"

In his first interview since the scandal broke, disgraced Mr Benalla admitted he had made a "big mistake".

But he claimed Mr Macron's opponents were trying to using the incident to criticise the president.

Emmanuel Macron

The centrist's handling of the Benalla scandal has sparked outrage (Image: GETTY)

He told Le Monde: "I feel like I have done something really stupid. I should never have gone to that demonstration as an observer.

"My case has been used to settle scores, it's taken on proportions.

"I won't say I was the fall-guy, I'm just saying it served various interests, an interest to get at the president of the republic."

Emmanuel Macron broke his silence over the furore earlier this week, attacking the media's reporting of the incident.

He said: "We have a press that is no longer pursuing the truth. What I see is media power that wants to become judicial power."