The French Government overcomes the motions of censure of the left and the extreme right

French President Emmanuel Macron. / EFE

The opposition took this measure after the prime minister wanted to fast-track the Budgets without submitting the bill to the vote of the deputies

False suspense. The French government passed this Monday, as expected, two motions of censure from the left and the extreme right. As the opposition failed to bring down the Executive, the first part of the Budgets for 2023 was adopted at first reading.

Nupes –the alliance of left-wing parties– and National Regroupment –the party of the far-right Marine Le Pen– presented motions of censure against the Government. They did so after the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, resorted last week to article 49.3 of the Constitution to fast track the Budgets for 2023 without submitting the bill to the vote of the deputies.

To the general surprise, Le Pen’s party voted in favor of the motion of censure presented by Nupes, the alliance of La Francia Insumisa, socialists, environmentalists and communists. Until hours before they had said they would not.

The 239 votes of Nupes and National Regrouping were insufficient to reach the 289 votes necessary for its adoption and bring down the Government. The Republicans –62 seats– did not support the motion of censure from the left. «We have lacked 50 votes. Macron and Borne are weaker than ever,” tweeted Manuel Bompard, the deputy for La Francia Insumisa.

The motion of censure presented by National Regrouping was also rejected in the National Assembly. He obtained only 90 votes, the 89 votes of National Rally and one additional vote. The left parties did not support it.

Precedents

Nupes presented a third motion of censure against the Executive after Borne also used article 49.3 to approve the budget for Social Security by decree. It was expected that the Government would also overcome this third motion of censure.

This measure is the opposition’s way of expressing its disapproval of the Executive. In the Fifth Republic, only once a motion of censure caused the resignation of the Administration. It happened in 1962 with the motion of censure against George Pompidou’s Cabinet.