French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence votes after suspending Macron’s pension reform but faces tough budget negotiations ahead.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence motions in parliament on Thursday after securing vital backing from the Socialist Party by agreeing to suspend President Emmanuel Macron’s contentious pension reform.
The motions, filed by the far-left France Unbowed and the far-right National Rally (RN), garnered 271 and 144 votes respectively, falling short of the 289 votes required to bring down Lecornu’s newly formed government. His offer to postpone the pension reform until after the 2027 presidential election proved decisive in winning Socialist support.
The result provided temporary relief for Macron’s administration but highlighted the fragility of his minority government. “A majority cobbled together through horse-trading managed today to save their positions, at the expense of the national interest,” RN party leader Jordan Bardella wrote on X.
Despite surviving the challenge, Lecornu faces a difficult path ahead as he begins negotiations over the 2026 budget. The Socialists, emboldened by their influence, have already called for new fiscal measures, including a tax on billionaires.
By shelving the pension reform, Lecornu risks dismantling one of Macron’s key economic legacies amid mounting fiscal pressure. The French bond market, however, remained calm following the votes, reflecting investor confidence in the government’s short-term stability.