French PM Invokes Article 49.3 for 2026 Budget Revenue

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu invoked Article 49.3 of the constitution on Tuesday to push the revenue portion of the 2026 budget through the lower house of parliament without a vote, bypassing a legislative deadlock that had persisted for three months. The move, in the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, marks the fourth consecutive year that lawmakers have not voted on the state budget, despite extensive debates totaling 350 hours.

Opposition parties, including the hard-left France Unbowed and the far-right National Rally, responded by filing no-confidence motions against the government, set for debate on Friday. Lecornu, leading a minority government, is expected to survive the challenge with support from the Socialists and other allies, according to officials familiar with the negotiations. The legislation now heads to the Senate for review before returning to the lower house. Lecornu plans to use Article 49.3 again for the spending portion and a final passage, aiming for definitive approval in early February.

Lecornu had pledged upon taking office in September 2025 to avoid such constitutional maneuvers, describing himself as the "weakest prime minister of the Fifth...