After an interview with Michel Barnier, on Monday, November 25, Marine Le Pen declared that the Prime Minister was “he seemed stuck in his positions”confirming the intention of the National Group (RN) to vote in favor of censure of the government if the budget is maintained “as is”. “My position has not changed. Apparently, it has not evolved any more than the Prime Minister’s has evolved.”he said as he left Matignon.
The leader of the RN deputies “he repeated his red lines” to the Prime Minister, who “He was at the same time courteous and firm in his positions”. She ruled in particular that “The increase in taxes on electricity was unacceptable”as well as the deindexation of pensions, even reduced by half. she denounced “medication reimbursement” and also demanded “clear savings” on immigration, in particular the state budget for medical aid, as well as “the functioning of the State”.
Hosting this week the heads of parliamentary groups, the Prime Minister opened his consultations with Mme Le Pen on Monday morning in Matignon, ahead of a busy week for the government. On Tuesday, the National Assembly will debate and vote on the free trade agreement with Mercosur, in a context of anger from farmers. Ministers Annie Genevard and Sophie Primas will speak on behalf of the Government. And on Thursday a tense debate is expected in the chamber as part of a “niche” from La France insoumise (LFI) on the repeal of the pension reform of the Elisabeth Borne government, adopted in 2023.
But it is in the budgetary sphere where the clouds hang over Matignon: the prospect of an activation of article 49.3 is rapidly approaching. Lack of majority in the Assembly where, unlike Mme Borne, preferred to let the debates develop, Michel Barnier will use ” probably ” in the coming weeks this constitutional weapon, which allows the adoption of a text without a vote, unless a motion of censure overthrows the government. Which would mean that the RN adds its votes to a motion presented by the left.
53% of French people in favor of a motion of censure
This “coalition of opposites”, “I know that this is not what the French want, who today want stability, serenity”the prime minister said on Thursday. Like Emmanuel Macron, who from Argentina, where he travels, also said that he would like “stability”. But, according to an Ipsos survey for Sunday’s Tribune53% of French people want to see the government fall. And Michel Barnier’s rating falls in another IFOP survey for The Sunday newspaperwith 36%, compared to 45% when he was appointed at the beginning of September.
What happens if the budget and the government are annulled? In The Parisiangovernment spokesperson Maud Bregeon warns against “a greek setting” evoking the risk of financial crisis. “There is no person in charge in the country who could wish for the fall of a government that was appointed two months ago”agrees François Bayrou on BFM-TV. “If there were censorship, there would be a crisis of the regime”estimates Agnès Evren (Les Républicains, LR) on France 3.
METROme Le Pen downplayed the consequences of the budget rejection on Monday morning and refused to budge. “to the little music that consists of saying [que] If this budget is ever rejected, if there is censorship, it will be dramatic, it will be chaos, etc. ». “The budget that will be applied will be that of last year. It is much less bad than this since there are fewer taxes that will weigh on the working classes and the middle classes.”he judged.
“We must not scare the French in vain”had also been estimated by the vice president of the RN, Sébastien Chenu, referring to the adoption of a “special law” budget in case of censorship. “The President of the Republic has several possibilities: reappoint the same prime minister, reappoint a new prime minister, resign if he has no other solution, trigger a referendum”listed the Northern deputy.
