Elisabeth Borne, the French Prime Minister, survived a no-confidence motion on Monday in Parliament that was introduced by a group of left-wing members shortly after the June elections. Borne referred to the no-confidence vote as “political tactics.”
This no-confidence vote is only a political ploy. Only 146 parliamentarians voted in favour of the motion, which needed an absolute majority of 289 votes to pass in order for the government to be overthrown, according to Al Jazeera. Borne encouraged the house to adopt a culture of compromise ahead of the vote.
While the outcome was slightly doubtful, it was meant as a show of intent by the NUPES alliance which is notably the largest bloc in opposition to Emmanuel Macron’s centrist grouping. The NUPES alliance also called the New Ecological and Social Popular Union is made up of 151 MPs.
Five of the NUPES alliance’s MPs reportedly made the decision to abstain from voting on the motion of no confidence, according to reporting by Al Jazeera. “Ladies and gentlemen, today we could be working for the good of the French people,” Borne told parliament ahead of the vote, adding that we are debating a no-confidence vote that is based on my alleged intentions, and that stands in the way of Parliament’s work and therefore of the wish of the French people.
“Instead, we are debating a no-confidence vote that is based on my alleged intentions, and that stands in the way of parliament’s work and therefore of the wish of the French people,” she said. “This no-confidence vote is just political tactics … Let’s switch together to a culture of compromise,” she added.
The parliament will soon start discussing the 20bn euro (USD 20.1bn) inflation-relief package unveiled last week by the government as the no-confidence motion is now out of the question. Borne, 61, has made clear she intends to rely on the votes of opposition parties to pass legislation, with the right-wing Republicains party seen as crucial to her future in the French parliament.
Newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron recently lost the absolute majority as the newly formed left-wing alliance government has gained the majority.
The result threw French politics into turmoil and raised the question of the legislation and messy coalition.
According to the result, Marcon secured 245 out of a total 577, resulting in no absolute majority in the National Assembly, France’s lower house. NUPES came in second with 131 seats and became the main opposition in force in the country.