Sébastien Lecornu's government survived two no-confidence motions in the National Assembly on Thursday, backed by the Socialist Party in exchange for suspending pension reform. The La France Insoumise motion failed by 18 votes, with 271 in favor against 289 needed. The National Rally motion garnered only 144 votes.
On October 16, 2025, the National Assembly examined two no-confidence motions against the Lecornu II government, formed recently amid political crisis. The first, filed by La France Insoumise (LFI) and backed by ecologists, communists, the National Rally (RN), and the Union des droites pour la République (UDR), was rejected with 271 votes in favor, falling 18 short of the absolute majority of 289. Only seven Socialist deputies and one LR member, Alexandra Martin, voted for it among the majority abstainers.
The second motion, from RN and UDR, secured just 144 votes, highlighting the nationalists' isolation. Three LR deputies (François-Xavier Ceccoli, Pierre Cordier, and Alexandra Martin) and two independents (Véronique Besse and Daniel Grenon) supported it.
This narrow survival hinges on a deal with the Socialist Party (PS), which abstained in exchange for suspending pension reform until 2027. PS leader Olivier Faure stated on France 2: 'I fully trust Sébastien Lecornu to honor his commitments because he has no other choice.' Lecornu responded succinctly: 'The debates needed to start, and they will.'
Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe criticized the concession as 'too important,' arguing it weakens the pension system amid demographic aging. Marine Le Pen accused opponents of fearing elections: 'You won't escape the vote of the French.' RN president Jordan Bardella decried a 'bargaining majority' harming national interest.
Budget debates for 2026 begin Monday in committee, without using Article 49.3, in an institutional fragility context. A special law in case of budget failure would cost the economy 11 billion euros, per the Ministry of Public Accounts.
