Overview

• The National Assembly rejected a left-filed no-confidence motion with 271 votes against Lecornu, short of the 289 needed to topple the government.
• A separate challenge from the Rassemblement National drew 144 votes, leaving the prime minister in office after two tests in a single session.
• President Emmanuel Macron had reappointed Sébastien Lecornu last week following his brief resignation, resetting the government before the votes.
• Lecornu’s 2026 budget targets a deficit under 5% with roughly €30 billion in savings, paired with a pause on the contentious pension overhaul to broaden backing.
• Socialists and parts of the Greens withheld support for ousting the cabinet, conservatives offered backing, and unions have called protests for November 6 as a fractured Assembly faces difficult budget votes.