Rudolph Angler In a surprising twist, the Socialist Party has chosen not to support the no-confidence motion introduced by its left-wing coalition partners.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou, newly appointed to the role, survived Thursday’s no-confidence vote in the National Assembly. Socialist MPs, along with far-right representatives, refrained from supporting the motion proposed by the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party.
The motion followed Bayrou’s general policy speech on Tuesday, where he outlined his government’s vision. He proposed renegotiating President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial 2023 pension reform and implementing budget cuts to address the ballooning national deficit.
In a bid to secure Socialist backing, Bayrou assured he would not cut 4,000 public education jobs, a critical demand from the centre-left party. Earlier, Socialists had threatened to oppose his government without clearer guarantees.
Tensions Escalate Within the Left-Wing Coalition
The Socialist Party’s decision angered its coalition allies in the New Popular Front (NFP).
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of France Unbowed, accused the Socialists of fracturing the coalition, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that they were “breaking apart the NFP.”
Despite criticism of Bayrou’s policies, far-right MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy of the National Rally party took a cautious stance, saying the party would evaluate the government based on its “actions.”
Though Bayrou managed to avoid collapse, he faces significant hurdles ahead. The government still lacks a finalized 2025 budget, which could create further instability in the coming weeks.
Budget Struggles Loom Over Bayrou’s Government
The absence of a 2025 budget adds to the challenges facing Bayrou’s administration. His predecessor, Michel Barnier, lost his position in December after far-right MPs and the NFP filed a successful no-confidence motion against his budget proposal.
While Bayrou avoided the same fate, his government’s survival depends on navigating deep political divides and addressing pressing fiscal challenges. The coming weeks will test his ability to unify a fractured political landscape and secure broad support for his agenda.