French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has used special powers to push through a social security budget bill without a vote by MPs, in a move expected to trigger a vote of no confidence in his government.
Barnier’s minority government is unlikely to survive the vote, which the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) opposition party said it would trigger this afternoon. It could take place as early as Wednesday.
Despite last-minute concessions, Barnier clearly did not think he would be able to get his budget bill over the line.
He therefore used article 49.3 of the French constitution, which allows the text of a bill to be passed without a vote, to push through his 2025 budget in the face of dissent from the left-wing opposition and the RN.
“I don’t think French people will forgive us for choosing party interests over the future of the country,” Barnier told MPs on Tuesday as he explained the reasons for his decision. “Now, everybody will need to assume their own responsibility as I have assumed mine.”
Several members of the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) have already said their parties would vote against Barnier, while Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally (RN) said she would vote to oust him if her party’s demands on pensions were not met.
Barnier was invited to form a government by President Emmanuel Macron in September.
The New Popular Front, an alliance of several left-wing parties, came out top against the far right following early elections in July.
The alliance was left furious by Macron’s decision to veer to the centre right by picking Michel Barnier as his new prime minister, and promised to vote against the government.
This has meant that Barnier has had to rely on the far-right RN for his government’s survival.
