The government therefore assumed its responsibility on Wednesday, October 19 to pass its budget without a vote in the National Assembly. A recourse to article 49-3 of the Constitution justified by the Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne by the failure of the dialogue with the oppositions and the time constraints, the budget having to be adopted in less than 70 days. A decision which above all marks the beginning of a period of instability in Parliament, with consequences that are still difficult to predict.
Elisabeth Borne has therefore engaged the responsibility of the government in order to force through the first part of the budget bill. According to the Prime Minister, the dialogue established with the opposition has failed, forcing her to use article 49-3 of the Constitution.
But the story is very different in the opposition precisely, where the government is accused of having played a fool’s game, as explained to the special envoy of RFI, Aurelien DevernoixAndré Chassaigne, president of the communist group in the National Assembly.
There is a strong opposition which is the one sent by the French. We ask that it be respected…
André Chassaigne, president of the communist group in the National Assembly
►Also read: Elisabeth Borne draws 49.3, Nupes and RN announce motions of censure
The government may well have to use 49-3 many times by the end of the year. This Thursday morning must indeed begin the examination of the Social Security Finance Bill on which the executive has already announced that it could quickly close the debate.
And this is likely to continue at each stage of the examination of the budgetary texts: revenue part, expenditure part, first reading, second reading. In the majority, it is estimated that article 49-3 could in total be used ten times in the coming weeks.
The question now is whether the oppositions will at some point manage to agree and bring down the government. It is for the moment unlikely, because the right refuses to do so. The Republicans are in the position of law makers since they can offer a majority to the presidential camp on each text.
The ax could actually fall from the Élysée. Emmanuel Macron has already warned that he will dissolve the Assembly in the event of a successful motion of censure, but he could also want a return to the polls if he finds a situation of deadlock on the texts with which the government cannot pass in force .
►Also read on the front page of the morning press: 49-3… that’s just the beginning…