Prime Minister Michel Barnier triggered article 49.3 on the Social Security budget on Monday, at the risk of a motion of censure which could bring it down. The head of government, who brought together his troops, the leaders of the “common base” groups (LR, Horizons, MoDem and Macronists) at the start of the afternoon in Matignon, announced to them that he would take responsibility for his team on this project, paving the way for the motion of censure announced by the oppositions.
The main information:
– Prime Minister Michel Barnier activated article 49.3 this Monday afternoon in the Assembly, on the Social Security budget
– Around 1 p.m., Michel Barnier committed “that there will be no delisting of medicines” in 2025, a demand from the RN
– Le Pen asks the government to renounce the deindexation of pensions to escape censorship
– In the event of 49.3, the National Rally could have a possible motion of censure tabled by the left adopted
Michel Barnier officially triggers article 49.3
Michel Barnier officially resorts to 49.3 on Monday at the risk of censorship on the Social Security budget. The Prime Minister said he had been “at the end of the dialogue” with all the political groups.
Opening of debates on the Social Security budget, expected 49.3
The National Assembly opened its debates on the Social Security budget at 3 p.m. Monday, which should quickly be abbreviated by Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who announced his intention to use 49.3 to have the text adopted without a vote according to parliamentary sources.
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. The president of the Ensemble pour la République group, Gabriel Attal, for his part, stressed to the press the country's need for “stability” and called on “each and everyone to rise to this moment.”
Le Pen asks the government to abandon the deindexation of pensions to escape censorship
Marine Le Pen indicated Monday that she had “filed an amendment on the renunciation of the deindexation of pensions” in the Social Security financing bill, the adoption of which would lead her RN group to renounce voting for a motion of censure against Michel Barnier. “It is up to the government to accept it or not to accept it,” continued the leader of the far-right deputies after a meeting of her troops, shortly before the start of the examination of the text by the National Assembly.
Barnier will resort to 49.3 despite the risk of censorship
Prime Minister Michel Barnier will on Monday hold the government responsible for the Social Security financing bill through article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows adoption of the text without a vote but exposes the government to a motion of censure, AFP learned from concordant parliamentary sources.
The left united in the New Popular Front 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 join. All of their votes could lead to the fall of Michel Barnier's government.
No reimbursement of medicines in 2025
Less than two hours before the final reading of the Social Security budget from 3 p.m. in the Assembly, Michel Barnier announced a new (and final?) gesture to the RN by committing “that it will not there will be no reimbursement of medicines” in 2025, while the government had planned to reduce the reimbursement rate by 5%.
An announcement made after a telephone interview with Marine Le Pen, according to the Prime Minister who at the same time received his troops, the leaders of the “common base” groups (LR, Horizons, MoDem and Macronists) at the start of the afternoon in Matignon. After having obtained that the government abandon the increase in taxes on electricity and reduce state medical aid (AME) for undocumented immigrants, this measure was one of the concessions demanded by the RN, alongside in particular the revaluation retirement pensions.
It would take 'a last-minute miracle' to avoid censorship, says Bardella
Will this be enough to bend the RN? Marine Le Pen brought together her deputies from 2 p.m. but the morning expressions did not suggest a change of direction for the far-right party. For the president of the RN Jordan Bardella, it would take “a last minute miracle” for the government to be censored. And for the vice-president of the party, Sébastien Chenu, this miracle cannot be an isolated measure on pensions or medicines which would be “do-it-yourself” while the RN “requires an overall vision”.
In the absence of a majority, the government could announce this afternoon that it is using article 49.3 of the Constitution to have its Social Security financing bill (PLFSS) adopted without a vote, which would in turn expose it to the filing of a motion of censure.
