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French gov't survives no-confidence votes in National Assembly

Xinhua
| October 17, 2025
2025-10-17

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu delivers a speech during the debate on the no-confidence motion against his government at the National Assembly in Paris, France, Oct. 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

The French government led by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survives two no-confidence motions in the National Assembly on Thursday, thus avoiding collapse in a particularly tense political climate.

The motions were launched by far-left France Unbowed (LFI) and the far-right National Rally (RN) in response to the pension reform that the government was planning to implement.

To rally support, Lecornu announced the suspension of the controversial reform, which aimed to raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64, until the next presidential election. This concession was intended in particular to appease the Socialists, whose votes could make the difference.

In the first vote, the motion put forward by the far-left received 271 votes, 18 short of the 289 needed for adoption. The second motion, tabled by the RN, was also rejected, receiving 144 votes according to the results published in the Assembly, a score well below what was needed to bring down the executive.

On the opposition side, the LFI and RN parties denounce a "political" maneuver aimed at maintaining power at all costs. The Socialists, for their part, welcome the suspension of the reform but are preparing strong demands for the upcoming budget debates, notably the introduction of a "tax on the very rich" in the 2026 budget.

Less than a month after his appointment, Lecornu submitted his resignation a few days before being reappointed on Oct. 10 by President Emmanuel Macron. The 2026 draft budget presented Tuesday to the Council of Ministers will be debated shortly in the National Assembly.

"You can see how serious the situation we are in is. You can see how difficult it is. The debates had to start. They are going to start," the head of government told the press as he left the National Assembly after the vote. 

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