Monday, 19 January, 2026
London, UK
Monday, January 19, 2026 7:09 PM
light rain 9.9°C
Condition: Light rain
Humidity: 88%
Wind Speed: 14.8 km/h

French government to force through 2026 budget, face no confidence vote

PARIS — French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will risk his government’s survival by ramming a state budget through parliament without a vote to break a monthslong legislative deadlock.

The PM explained Monday that he would on Tuesday invoke Article 49.3, a constitutional backdoor that allows the government to pass legislation without a parliamentary vote, to enact the part of the budget that deals with tax revenue.

Opposition parties can respond to the move by calling for a no-confidence vote that, if successful, topples the government and blocks the bill in question. Far-left France Unbowed heavyweight Mathilde Panot said before Lecornu’s announcement that her party would respond by filing a motion of no confidence.

Lecornu and his government entered the new year with mostly risky options to finalize France’s fiscal plans after lawmakers in the country’s hung parliament failed to pass a proper budget before the end of 2025.

Lecornu had, early in his tenure, ruled out using Article 49.3 to pass a budget, betting the concession would help ensure the survival of his minority government.

But on Monday he acknowledged that despite personal “regret” and “bitterness,” he would need to go back on his word, saying that while the government wanted the parliamentary procedure to continue “until the end,” the legislature’s fractured nature had made it impossible.

The success of the PM’s maneuver will likely depend on getting the Socialist Party, who have played a kingmaker role throughout Lecornu’s tenure, to abstain from voting for any censure. Boris Vallaud, a high-ranking Socialist, said Monday the party could play ball thanks to concessions announced Friday, which include €1 lunches for university students and more spending on social housing.

The government is currently being financed by an emergency measure passed late last year that effectively just rolls over the 2025 budget into the new year. That legislative bandage does nothing to cut France’s chronically high budget deficit, which Lecornu reiterated Friday must be brought down to 5 percent of gross domestic product this year.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

Categories

Follow

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to receive your complimentary login credentials and unlock full access to all features and stories from Lord’s Press.

    As a journal of record, Lord’s Press remains freely accessible—thanks to the enduring support of our distinguished partners and patrons. Subscribing ensures uninterrupted access to our archives, special reports, and exclusive notices.

    LP is free thanks to our Sponsors

    Privacy Overview

    Privacy & Cookie Notice

    This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to help us understand how our content is accessed and used. Cookies are small text files stored in your browser that allow us to recognise your device upon return, retain your preferences, and gather anonymised usage statistics to improve site performance.

    Under EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process this data based on your consent. You will be prompted to accept or customise your cookie preferences when you first visit our site.

    You may adjust or withdraw your consent at any time via the cookie settings link in the website footer. For more information on how we handle your data, please refer to our full Privacy Policy