French government faces confidence vote after forcing through economic package
The French government faced a confidence vote on Thursday after using enabling legislation to force through an economic package that caused a split in the ruling Socialist Party.
Issued on: Modified:
President François Hollande on Wednesday defended his government's decision to force the package through parliament without a vote.
Speaking on Wednesday, Hollande said there was “no time to lose” in reforming the country's struggling economy and justified the rare use of constitutional article 49-3, which allows bills to be passed without the approval of MPs.
Hollande is pinning his reform hopes on proposals by former investment banker and current Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, including the extension of Sunday working, which has provoked resistance from rebel Socialists.
The right-wing opposition has tabled a motion of no confidence in the government and the hard-left Left Front has said it will back it.
But most politicians and analysts said Thursday that the Socialist dissidents were unlikely to vote to bring the government down, meaning that it would retain the necessary majority to stay in power.
It is not surprising the government has resorted to the constitutional move, Bruno Cautres, a researcher with the Paris Institute of Political Studies, told RFI, because this is exactly the kind of scenario where the 49-3 clause is meant to be used.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe