The Politics of Survival

Newly appointed French Prime Minister François Bayrou survived his first no-confidence vote on Thursday, underscoring the fragility of the government’s center-right coalition since elections last year swept President Emmanuel Macron’s allies out of office, France 24 reported.

The French far-left party, France Unbowed, requested the no-confidence vote after a speech by Bayrou laying out his budget priorities for 2025 – in spite of concessions to the left by offering new negotiations on a highly unpopular pension reform plan approved last year, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Bayrou also sweetened the pot by offering to scrap a cut in state medical reimbursements, increasing hospital spending by more than previously budgeted and dropping plans to axe 4,000 teachers.

Bayrou also committed to move forward on tax hikes worth Eur 21 billion ($24 billion) that his briefly installed predecessor Michel Barnier had planned, mostly affecting the wealthy and big companies.

As a result of the fragility of the government and those concessions, the Socialists – along with the right-wing National Rally Party – said they would not support the no-confidence motion because they were concerned that France has had four prime ministers in one year and that the work of the government is being stalled. In December, French lawmakers ousted Barnier over the 2025 budget.

Also, numerous parties are worried that such a vote would delay the 2025 budget. The Socialists and center-left parties, meanwhile, are worried that a successful no-confidence vote would open the door to a far-right takeover.

France has been facing political turmoil ever since Macron dissolved the National Assembly and called for early elections last June, following his party’s poor performance in the 2024 European Parliament elections that same month.

However, these snap elections highlighted France’s political divisions with no party or coalition securing a majority in parliament even as the left and the right outperformed Macron’s center allies.

Macron has acknowledged his decision to dissolve the National Assembly had led to “divisions” and “instability.” However, it’s not legally possible to call new snap elections until July.