Starting this Monday, France has budgets for 2026 that will allow it to face the final phase of Emmanuel Macron’s second presidential term. This comes after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government overcame two motions of no confidence proposed by left-wing parties and the far-right led by Marine Le Pen. The two motions of no confidence against the government for having approved the 2026 budget bill without a parliamentary vote were dismissed by the National Assembly. The proposal backed by the parties of La France Insoumise, The Greens, and GDR received 260 votes, falling short of the 289 required to oust the government. The initiative promoted by the National Rally and its allies only managed to garner 130 supports. Lecornu accused them of obstructing parliamentary debate on the budget in recent months. The Prime Minister stated that they would have to account for this before history and was forced to use a constitutional clause to approve the state budget without the need for a parliamentary vote. It is a lifeline for the government and for Macron, as it prevents the possibility of early elections. From this moment on, Lecornu will be able to set aside the budget issue. He can now focus on the upcoming municipal elections in March and strive to make the year before the presidential elections of 2027 productive, although his capacity for action appears limited due to the lack of a parliamentary majority.
France already has budgets to tackle the final stretch of Macronism in 2026.
