French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu narrowly survived two no-confidence motions in parliament, underscoring the fragility of President Emmanuel Macron’s minority government as it faces a contentious budget debate. The first motion, led by the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI), garnered 271 votes, just 18 short of the 289 needed to topple the government. A second motion from Marine Le Pen’s National Rally received 144 votes, far fewer due to limited cross-party backing.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two parliamentary no-confidence votes after winning crucial support following his pledge to suspend President Emmanuel Macron’s contested pension reform.
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Lecornu, appointed only days earlier, urged lawmakers to choose “parliamentary debate over political chaos.” His survival was largely credited to the Socialist Party’s restraint after he announced a suspension of Macron’s controversial pension reform, which aimed to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. However, seven Socialist MPs broke ranks to vote against the government.
Despite the reprieve, Lecornu faces an uphill task pushing the 2026 budget through a deeply fractured National Assembly before year-end. LFI’s parliamentary leader Mathilde Panot said the vote showed how close the government was to collapse, while National Rally chief Jordan Bardella warned the administration was “saved by horse-trading at the expense of the national interest.”
With Macron’s centrist alliance lacking a majority since last year’s snap elections, analysts say the close call exposes France’s growing political polarization and foreshadows months of tense negotiations and fragile compromises ahead.
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