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4w ago

Lecornu Survives Twin No-Confidence Votes After Pledging Pension Freeze

Attention now turns to a fraught 2026 austerity budget in a hung assembly, with Socialists holding the swing.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu delivers his speech before a no-confidence vote, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 at the National Assembly in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu reacts during the questions and answers to the government session, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 at the National Assembly in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Scoreboards at the National Assembly show the results of a no-confidence motion vote on French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's government in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
A scoreboard at the National Assembly shows the results of a no-confidence motion vote on French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's government in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus).

Overview

  • Lawmakers rejected censure bids from France Unbowed and the National Rally, with the first motion drawing 271 votes, 18 short of the 289 needed, and the second garnering 144.
  • The Socialist Party leadership withheld support after Sébastien Lecornu vowed to suspend the 2023 pension law until after the 2027 presidential election, though several Socialist MPs broke ranks.
  • Budget debate opens on Oct. 24, and Lecornu has pledged not to use Article 49.3 to force passage as he seeks backing from Socialists and Republicans for a deficit-cutting plan.
  • The government estimates the pension delay will cost €400 million in 2026 and €1.8 billion in 2027, complicating efforts to pare a deficit near 5% of GDP and manage debt around 114% of GDP.
  • Failure to assemble votes for the 2026 budget could trigger new censure attempts or raise pressure for dissolution, with the National Rally positioned as the largest single party.