French Prime Minister Barnier Forces Social Security Spending Bill Without a Parliament Vote, so Now He Faces a No-Confidence Vote That Can Topple His Cabinet

French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

The new French government has failed its first major test, approving a budget on time by submitting it to a vote in the National Assembly.

Prime Minister Michel Barnier instead invoked Article 49.3 of France’s Constitution, which allowed him to push through the legislation — a social security spending bill – without a vote.

That’s a very risky move, opening the door to a no-confidence motion this week that may well topple the government.

The New York Times reported:

“The prospect of a government collapse — and of a failure to pass a budget — has rattled financial markets, sharply increased France’s borrowing costs, and further deepened the uncertainty that has gripped the country since snap elections last summer yielded no clear parliamentary majority.

Mr. Barnier’s move exposes his government to no-confidence motions — which both French left-wing parties and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party quickly said they would file, with a vote expected as early as Wednesday.”

Whatever will become of Barnier and of his cabinet now depends on the votes of the MPs.

The government was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron a mere three months ago.

Mr. Macron remains president even if the cabinet falls, but he will have to appoint a new prime minister.

“Ms. Le Pen and Mr. Barnier, a veteran center-right politician, have engaged in a game of chicken over the past week. Ms. Le Pen dangled the threat of a no-confidence motion ever more vocally if Mr. Barnier did not accede to her demands on the budget. Mr. Barnier warned of ‘serious turbulence on the financial markets’ and the troubles ahead if the country reaches the new year without a budget — warnings that Ms. Le Pen has dismissed as fear-mongering and ‘fake news’.”

Barnier made some concessions to the RN party, but not enough – so Le Pen’s party will vote against the government on the no-confidence vote.

“Without enough votes to get bills through parliament on its own, Mr. Barnier’s government has been forced to rely on the tacit support of the far right. But it has not wanted to cede too much either, since many government members were elected to block the far right from gaining power, Benjamin Morel, a lecturer in public law at Panthéon-Assas University in Paris, said.”

Barnier had to cut the budget by $63 billion.

“According to recent polls, the majority of French public opinion is opposed to passing an austerity budget requiring spending cuts and increased taxes, and a small majority wants the Barnier government to fall.”

If the absolute majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly supports the no-confidence motion, Barnier and his cabinet will have to resign, and Mr. Macron would have to appoint a new prime minister.

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