the two motions of censure filed by the RN and LFI were rejected, after the use of 49.3 by the government

Unsurprisingly, Elisabeth Borne remains in post. The Prime Minister and her government escaped censure on Friday October 20, after the rejection of the two motions of censure tabled on Wednesday. They follow the use of 49.3 of the Constitution to adopt the first part of the 2024 budget, in the National Assembly. The text will now be examined in the Senate.

In detail, a total of 89 parliamentarians voted for the motion of censure of the National Rally, while the required majority was 289 votes, or half of the National Assembly plus one vote.

New 49.3s in perspective

The motion of censure of La France insoumise, tabled in a context of the Nupes crisis, received 219 votes, a figure significantly higher than that of the RN motion. This is explained by the fact that the National Rally deputies vote for the rebels’ motion, while the opposite is not true: the LFI elected officials systematically refuse to support an RN motion.

By mid-November, the government should again use 49.3 to have the other autumn budgetary texts adopted, due to lack of an absolute majority. New motions of censure from the RN and LFI could be examined immediately. And without a massive vote from the 61 Republican deputies, crucial to reaching the bar of 289 elected officials, Elisabeth Borne is guaranteed to remain in office. The Prime Minister has already drawn the constitutional weapon of 49.3 thirteen times since her arrival at Matignon in May 2022. In total, she has escaped twenty attempts at censorship.