French government survives no-confidence votes

The no-confidence motions aimed to protest the European Union’s trade agreement with the MERCOSUR bloc.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has survived two no-confidence votes in parliament, clearing the way for the government to focus on yet another budget showdown in the coming days.

The no-confidence motions, filed by the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), aimed to protest the European Union’s trade agreement with the South American bloc Mercado Comun del Sur (Southern Common Market, or MERCOSUR).

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Despite French opposition, European Union member states last week approved the signing of the long-debated deal with Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

France’s RN and LFI political parties accused the government of not doing enough to block it.

“Inside the country, you are a government of vassals serving the rich. Outside, you are humiliating our nation before the European Commission and the US empire,” chief LFI lawmaker Mathilde Panot told the government, speaking in parliament ahead of Wednesday’s no-confidence motion votes.

Lecornu said time spent on the no-confidence votes was further delaying fraught debates on the country’s 2026 budget, which he said political leaders should instead focus on.

“You are acting like snipers lying in wait, firing into the executive’s back at the very moment when we must confront international disruptions,” he said.

But on Wednesday, both motions failed. The one tabled by LFI received only 256 votes in favour, 32 votes short of what was needed for the motion to pass. The second motion, put forward by the far right, received 142 votes in favour and also failed.

The Socialist Party had ruled out backing the no-confidence motions and the conservative Republicans also said they would not vote to censure the government over MERCOSUR.

A source from the French government told the Reuters news agency that the next step would be tough budget talks where 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 RN and LFI.

While this option could also lead to more motions of no-confidence, lawmakers are eager to end weeks of squabbles over the budget, even if it means the country’s deficit remains near 5 percent, sources added.

Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon said on Tuesday that “nothing is excluded” to pass the budget.

France, the eurozone’s second-largest economy, has been under pressure to reduce its large budget deficit. But political instability has slowed those efforts since Macron’s snap election in 2024 resulted in a hung parliament.

Budget disputes have already toppled three governments since 2024’s election, including that of former Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who lost a no-confidence vote over his own budget bill.