France’s government survived two no-confidence votes after pushing the 2026 budget’s expenditure through without a parliamentary vote. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu defended the measure, which adds EUR 6.5 billion for defence, but further challenges loom as the bill heads to the upper house and may return to the National Assembly under Article 49.3.
France’s government survived two no-confidence votes on Tuesday 27 January 2026, after pushing through the expenditure part of the 2026 budget without a parliamentary vote.
A motion from the hard-left France Unbowed, Greens, and Communists got 267 votes, short of the 289 needed, while a far-right National Rally motion received 140 votes.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu defended the move, calling the budget a “breakthrough” with EUR 6.5 billion extra for defence, and said he would take a long-term view. The bill must still pass the upper house before returning to the National Assembly, where Lecornu may again use Article 49.3 to force adoption, risking more no-confidence motions.
Earlier, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu unveiled amendments to his draft 2026 budget on 16 January 2026.
