French PM survives no-confidence votes after making pension concession

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence votes in parliament on Thursday, winning crucial backing from the Socialist Party.

The two no-confidence motions, presented by the hard-left France Unbowed and the far-right National Rally (RN), secured only 271 and 144 votes respectively — well short of the 289 votes needed to topple Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s days-old government.

Lecornu’s pledge to delay the controversial pension reform until after the 2027 presidential election helped win crucial backing from the Socialist Party, providing the government with a lifeline in the deeply fragmented National Assembly.

Despite surviving the votes, the motions highlighted the fragility of President Emmanuel Macron’s administration midway through his final term.

RN party president Jordan Bardella criticised the outcome on X, writing: “A majority cobbled together through horse-trading managed today to save their positions, at the expense of the national interest.”

The French bond market remained steady following the back-to-back votes, with the government’s victory widely expected by investors.

Looking ahead, Lecornu faces challenging negotiations over a slimmed-down 2026 budget in a legislature divided among three ideological blocs.

The government remains vulnerable, with the risk of further no-confidence motions or setbacks in budget approval.

In November, Lecornu intends to propose an amendment to suspend the pension reform. However, some left-wing lawmakers have warned that the move could act as a legislative trap, potentially forcing the Socialists to accept measures they oppose.

Copied