As he had announced in recent weeks, Prime Minister Michel Barnier held his government responsible for the Social Security budget on Monday, December 2.
The text is therefore adopted, without a vote via article 49.3 of the Constitution.
During his speech, the head of government indicated that he had been “at the end of the dialogue” with all political groups. “The French would not forgive us for preferring particular interests to the future of the Nation”Barnier said.
“We have now managed to a moment of truth that confronts everyone with their responsibilities. It is now up to you, deputies, parliamentarians of the Nation, to decide whether our country adopts responsible financial texts, essential and useful to our fellow citizens. Or if we enter unknown territory”declared the Prime Minister before the National Assembly, calling for priority “the future of the nation” compared to “special interests”.
This is the first time that Mr. Barnier has activated 49.3. The left promised to table a motion of censure in the event of 49.3, with which the National Rally indicated on Monday morning that it wanted to be associated. All of their votes could lead to the fall of Michel Barnier's government.
The National Assembly opened its debates at 3 p.m. the Social Security budget.
The motion of censure set at 288 votes
The National Rally asked the government at the beginning of the afternoon to renounce the partial deindexation of pensions, failing which it will join its votes with the left to censor it.
LFI announced in the wake of 49.3, to file a motion of censure in the government. The RN immediately announced that it would vote to censure the government. An RN executive told AFP that the Lepenist deputies would vote on the motion to be tabled by the left-wing alliance of the New Popular Front: it could then collect more than 300 votes, a priori allowing its adoption, fixed at 288 votes.
The president of the Ensemble pour la République group, Gabriel Attal, for his part, stressed to the press the need for “stability” of the country and called “each and everyone to rise to this moment”.
