French Prime Minister François Bayrou has survived a first no-confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday evening, following prolonged criticism of his austerity plans. A total of 128 lawmakers voted in favor of the first no-confidence motion, significantly short of the required 289 votes.
Left-leaning lawmakers had submitted two no-confidence motions against the prime minister, after he claimed special constitutional powers to push through the 2025 budget.
Bayrou was appointed prime minister in December by President Emmanuel Macron to end a months-long political crisis. However, only around two months into his tenure, Bayrou’s government is now under intense pressure. Despite his success in the confidence vote, this pressure is unlikely to subside.