France’s government survives no-confidence vote as budget finally adopted

France’s government survived a no-confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, as the state budget for 2025 was finally adopted.

Prime Minister Francois Bayrou had used special constitutional powers to get the budget bill approved without a vote by legislators, which triggered the no-confidence motion.

Only 128 legislators approved the motion, far from the 289 votes — or half the National Assembly’s seats — needed for it to pass.

Both the Socialists and far-right National Rally legsilators had said they would not support the motion, giving it no chance to succeed.

Mr Bayrou, a veteran centrist, was appointed in December amid a chaotic political crisis prompted by budget disputes that led to the collapse of his predecessor’s government.

French politics have been in disarray since President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections last year that left no party with a majority in parliament.

Under France’s constitution, the motion’s failure automatically turns the 2025 budget into law.

The budget is meant to reduce France’s deficit to 5.4% of gross domestic product this year, including through spending cuts and tax increases worth a total of 50 billion euros, the Bayrou government said.

France’s deficit in 2024 reached 6.1% of GDP.