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French PM François Bayrou expected to survive confidence vote French PM François Bayrou survives first confidence vote
(about 13 hours later)
Bayrou’s decision to use constitutional clause known as ‘49.3’ prompted immediate no confidence motion National Rally and Socialists did not back no-confidence motion tabled by hard-left France Unbowed
François Bayrou, the French prime minister, is almost certain to survive a vote of no confidence on Wednesday after the move that threatened to topple the government – for the second time in two months – lost the support of socialists and the far right. The French prime minister, François Bayrou, has survived an initial confidence vote in parliament called for by the hard left, after the far-right National Rally (RN) and centre-left Socialists did not back the motion against him.
The decision by the Socialist party (PS) not to support the censure motion infuriated leftwing partners in the New Popular Front (NFP) and could torpedo the alliance that collectively won the most seats in the last general election. On Wednesday, 128 lawmakers voted in favour of the first motion of no confidence, well short of the 289 votes needed.
The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) submitted two no confidence motions on Monday immediately after Bayrou used a constitutional clause known as “49.3” to pass key budget bills in the Assemblée Nationale without a vote. The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) had introduced two motions of no confidence against the prime minister after he invoked special constitutional powers to force through this year’s budget.
On Tuesday, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the LFI leader, said the PS decision to not support the motions spelled the end of the alliance. The tool, known as article 49.3, allows the minority government to pass the legislation without a parliamentary vote.
“The New Popular Front has one party less,” Mélenchon said. Formed before last year’s general election, the NFP was made up of LFI, the PS, the greens (EELV) and the communists (PCF). The decision by the Socialist party (PS) not to support the censure motion infuriated their leftwing partners in the New Popular Front (NFP) and could torpedo the alliance that collectively won the most seats in the last general election.
Éric Coquerel, an LFI MP and president of the assembly’s finance commission, accused the PS of “betrayal”. On Tuesday, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the LFI leader, said the PS decision spelled the end of the alliance. “The New Popular Front has one party less,” Mélenchon said.
With one year to go before the municipal elections and two years to go before the next presidential election, political analysts believe the left has little choice but to remain united if it wishes to see off Marine Le Pen’s far right. Formed before last year’s general election, the NFP was made up of LFI, the PS, the greens (EELV) and the communists (PCF).
Leftwing MP Alexis Corbière, thrown out of LFI after disagreeing with Mélenchon before last year’s general election, said the PS decision was “a political and strategic error”, but stopped short of criticising the socialists. Éric Coquerel, an LFI MP and president of the national assembly’s finance commission, accused the PS of “betrayal”.
With one year to go before municipal elections and two years before the next presidential election, political analysts believe the left has little choice but to remain united if it wishes to see off Marine Le Pen’s far right.
Alexis Corbière, a leftwing MP thrown out of LFI after disagreeing with Mélenchon before last year’s general election, said the PS decision was “a political and strategic error” but stopped short of criticising the Socialists.
“Should we be insulting each other, calling each other traitors? I don’t think so. If there have been alliances, it’s because of the threat from the far right. We need this united front of a united and popular left,” he said.“Should we be insulting each other, calling each other traitors? I don’t think so. If there have been alliances, it’s because of the threat from the far right. We need this united front of a united and popular left,” he said.
The far-right National Rally kept everyone guessing on Tuesday over whether it would support the no confidence motions, but party president Jordan Bardella hinted that it would probably not. Bayrou’s travails are not over. He will use article 49.3 to push through two more social security bills in the next week, prompting two more censure motions from LFI.
“It’s a bad budget,” he told broadcaster Europe 1/CNews. But “we need a budget”, he added. “We need to avoid uncertainty because many of our fellow citizens ... are extremely worried about possible long-term instability.” The PS has said it intends to lodge its own no-confidence motion, possibly next week, over Bayrou’s comment – deemed xenophobic by many – that the French were “feeling submerged by immigration”.
Without the support of the PS and RN, the no confidence motions will not gain the 289 votes necessary to pass, and the government’s two bills will pass into law. Reuters contributed to this report
Bayrou’s travails, however, are not over. He will use the 49.3 to push through two more social security bills in the next week, sparking two more censure motions from LFI. The PS has said it intends to lodge its own no confidence motion – possibly next week – over Bayrou’s comment, deemed xenophobic by many, that the French were “feeling submerged by immigration”.