Bayrou admitted the budget was “imperfect” just before the vote but emphasized the need to pass it to stabilize France. The country has been operating under a temporary spending plan after failing to approve a budget last year. He also warned that France must address its financial situation as it faces growing challenges, including the war in Ukraine and disruptions linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
To push through his budget, Bayrou invoked a constitutional clause twice on Monday, allowing him to bypass a parliamentary vote but leaving the door open for no-confidence motions.
His minority government, backed by a fragile coalition of centrist and conservative lawmakers, lacks sufficient support to pass a budget without using this maneuver, permitted under Article 49.3 of the constitution. To remain in power, the government needs at least one major opposition party to abstain from a no-confidence vote.
Bayrou is expected to invoke Article 49.3 two more times to pass all parts of the 2025 budget, potentially triggering additional confidence votes in the coming days.
Earlier this week, the center-left Socialist Party announced it would not support this week’s no-confidence motions, citing the necessity of a 2025 budget. However, the party plans to introduce its own motion to censure the government in response to Bayrou’s recent statement that some parts of France appear to be “flooded” with immigrants.
While it seems unlikely that the National Rally would support a motion opposing anti-immigration rhetoric, a source close to Marine Le Pen told POLITICO that the party would not hesitate to back such a motion if they believed it could bring down the government.
The previous government, led by Michel Barnier, collapsed in December when a no-confidence motion succeeded with backing from the National Rally, despite the motion’s criticism of the far right and its policies.
Leave a Reply