France’s government confronts no-confidence motions over a EU-Mercosur trade deal, with a major budget showdown looming in a hung parliament.
PARIS: The French government faces two no-confidence votes in parliament on Wednesday.
The motions were filed by the far-right National Rally (RN) and hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) to protest the EU’s trade deal with the Mercosur bloc.
EU member states approved the long-debated agreement with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay last week.
ALSO READ: French lawmakers deadlock on 2026 budget, risking deficit blowout
The RN and LFI accuse the government of failing to block the deal.
“The French executive never really gave itself the means to prevent the adoption of this agreement,” LFI said.
The Socialist Party will not back the motions and The Republicans also refuse to support censure over Mercosur.
“A motion of censure in France achieves nothing,” The Republicans leader Bruno Retailleau told Europe 1/CNews.
Government insiders said Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu will let the votes proceed before refocusing on budget talks.
One government source said a 2026 budget option involves invoking Article 49.3 to pass the finance bill without a vote.
That move would likely trigger further no-confidence motions.
Lawmakers are eager to end weeks of budget wrangling, sources said, even if the deficit stays near 5%.
President Emmanuel Macron wants a budget adopted in January and is “neutral” on the method, according to his entourage.
Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon said “nothing is excluded” to pass the budget.
Lecornu recently warned of a possible parliament dissolution if his government fell but has since softened his tone.
“I want neither censure nor dissolution,” he told Le Parisien.
France’s political situation has been fragile since Macron lost his parliamentary majority in 2022.
It worsened after unexpected early elections in mid-2024 produced a hung parliament split between three blocs. – Reuters
