France's new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has bought himself breathing space after winning two no-confidence motions tabled by the opposition.
In the tightest vote, a motion sponsored by the far left fell 18 votes short of the 289 needed to bring him down.
This means that after just five days in office, Lecornu has survived a first major ordeal in parliament and can now focus on the task of passing the 2026 budget.
However, any relief for the prime minister is likely to be short-lived, with the far left and far right still gunning to bring him down. The Socialists, who threw a lifeline in the no-confidence motions, have made it clear they will not be so indulgent next time round.
Also, any tactical victory that enables the government to endure for now more than offsets by the significant damage to France's reputation caused by weeks of confusion and capitulation.
Appointed by President Emmanuel Macron four weeks ago, then re-appointed in chaotic scenes on Friday after he resigned on Monday, Lecornu only survives thanks to major concessions made to the left.
To buy the support of the Socialist Party, which has about 65 MPs, the prime minister promised to freeze Macron's most important economic reform of his second term – the raising of the retirement age to 64.
But he also made another potentially more important concession to the opposition, which has significant implications for the chances of obtaining a budget in time for the end-of-year deadline.
By pledging not to resort to the constitutional device known as the 49:3 – which lets governments force through laws without a vote – Lecornu has handed ultimate control over the budget to the parties in parliament.
This represents a significant power shift, reflecting the decline of presidential authority since Macron's botched parliamentary dissolution in July 2024. For many observers, it signifies a return to the party-politicking reminiscent of the pre-1958 Fourth Republic.
By assuring MPs that they would have the final say on the future budget, Lecornu aimed to convince the Socialists that he was serious about marking a real rupture from previous Macronite administrations.
However, he may also have surrendered any prospect of the kind of austerity measures in debt reduction that the money markets and European Union are demanding.
The draft budget tabled by Lecornu on Tuesday aims to reduce the deficit to 4.7% of GDP by making savings of €30 billion, but the Socialists have denounced the plan as a betrayal of the less fortunate.
Party leader Olivier Faure stated that he would not hesitate to support new votes of censure if objectionable parts of the budget are not removed.
The National Assembly has been split three ways for the last 15 months, with a centre-right bloc of under 200 MPs facing a left-wing alliance of roughly the same size and a far-right bloc of about 140, plus independents. None of the three prime ministers during this period has been able to find a reliable majority.
Weeks of political strife in Paris have triggered warnings about growing public disillusionment with politics, reinforcing the perception that many politicians seem primarily focused on retaining power.
President Macron is widely blamed for the ongoing crisis, with his popularity ratings plummeting to just 14%. His position has become increasingly precarious, with both the far-right and far-left factions calling for his resignation before the end of his second term.
Comments from his former adviser, Alain Minc, suggest that Macron is at risk of going down in history as the worst president of the Fifth Republic. Minc criticizes Macron for failing to act as a bulwark against the far right, which is now on the verge of power.
As political tensions mount, the eyes of the nation and the international community remain fixed on the evolving political situation in France.
