French Premier Risks Turmoil in Budget Battle: What to Watch
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French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou faces a make-or-break test Monday when he plans to get a new budget approved without a parliamentary vote, a risky process that could end up toppling France’s third government in less than a year.
Bayrou said over the weekend that he would use a constitutional provision — called Article 49.3 — that allows him to skip a vote in the National Assembly and force legislation through. Use of this mechanism allows members of parliament to call a no-confidence vote, and far-left lawmakers have already said they would table such a motion.