French Government Survives Second No-Confidence Vote This Week

French Prime Minister Survives No-Confidence Votes Amid MERCOSUR Trade Agreement Controversy

Two no-confidence motions filed by the National Rally and France Unbowed parties in the French parliament have failed to oust Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, clearing the way for the government to focus on its upcoming budget negotiations. The motions were aimed at protesting the European Union’s trade agreement with the MERCOSUR bloc, which was approved by EU member states last week despite French opposition.

The National Rally and France Unbowed parties had accused the government of not doing enough to block the deal, with LFI lawmaker Mathilde Panot stating that the government was “humiliating our nation” before the European Commission and US empire. However, both motions failed to pass, with the LFI motion receiving 256 votes in favor and the National Rally motion receiving 142 votes.

The Socialist Party and conservative Republicans had ruled out backing the no-confidence motions, while a source from the French government stated that the next step would be tough budget talks. Prime Minister Lecornu has an option to invoke Article 49.3 of the Constitution, enabling him to push through the finance bill without a vote, after negotiating a text with all groups except the National Rally and France Unbowed.

Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon stated that “nothing is excluded” to pass the budget, despite concerns over the country’s large budget deficit, which has been under pressure since Macron’s snap election in 2024 resulted in a hung parliament. The government has faced several budget disputes since then, including the toppling of former Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government.

Source: Al Jazeera