French PM moves to force budget through divided parliament

PARIS: Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Monday moved to force through France’s budget without a vote, a step that immediately prompted a no-confidence motion from the left in the bitterly divided parliament.

Bayrou, a veteran centrist named by President Emmanuel Macron in December to end months of political crisis following last summer’s inconclusive legislative elections, is nowhere near having a parliamentary majority.

But any no-confidence motion has little chance of passing after the Socialist Party decided against backing it, giving the prime minister a much-needed boost. Bayrou rammed through the budget legislation on Monday using article 49.3 of the constitution, which allows the government to pass laws without a vote.

He resorted to the tactic twice, to force through the budget as well as the social security budget, and may need it again later this week.