It would only be a matter of hours. Less than six months after the massive blow of dissolution, the National Assembly is preparing to censure the government of Michel Barnier this Wednesday, December 4, a gesture unprecedented since 1962 which would plunge the country into great political uncertainty and budgetary. While the leader of Matignon called last night, on TF1 and France 2, for a “reflex of responsibility”, Marine Le Pen, boss of the National Rally, is tasting the extent of her power to cause harm to the executive.
Information to remember
⇒ Motions of censure examined at 4:00 p.m.
⇒ New call from Michel Barnier for “responsibility”, Emmanuel Macron does not want to “believe” in it
⇒ A “total disconnection”, according to a PS deputy
08:05
The RN spokesperson will vote “without worry” on the motion of censure
Invited on the TF1 set this Wednesday morning, Laure Lavalette confirmed that she would vote for the NFP’s motion of censure, nevertheless rejecting any alliance with the left. “The only baroque alliance is the one we saw during the second round of the legislative elections when the Macronists abstained in favor of the NFP and vice versa,” points out the spokesperson for the National Rally.
07:20
A “total disconnection”, according to a PS deputy
Calvados MP Arthur Delaporte (PS) accused, Tuesday evening, the two heads of the executive of suffering from a “total disconnection” with “the country which wants censorship”. And, if no one in the majority talks about the aftermath of Barnier in public, the strategists are already busy behind the scenes. The president of a parliamentary group proposes to enter into a “non-censorship” agreement with the PS to escape the supervision of the RN, while the names of the president of the MoDem François Bayrou, the Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu (Renaissance) or the president of the Hauts-de-France region Xavier Bertrand (LR) are once again mentioned to enter Matignon. Michel Barnier, for his part, ruled out the possibility of being renamed there.
07:10
Michel Barnier calls for “responsibility”, Emmanuel Macron does not want to “believe” in it
Avoid censorship when the National Rally, in addition to presenting its own text, should vote on the left’s motion? “I think it’s possible,” assured the Prime Minister Tuesday evening on France 2 and TF1. Michel Barnier called for the “reflex of responsibility” of deputies, emphasizing those of the RN who will have to “be accountable” to their voters if they join the motion of the “extreme left”. “We are not in bargaining”, but Marine Le Pen has entered “in a sort of bidding war”, also asserted the Savoyard, questioned about a possible last gesture on pensions, to avoid becoming on Wednesday the holder of the the most ephemeral lease of the Fifth Republic.
Emmanuel Macron, for his part, said from Riyadh that he “does not believe in the vote of censure”, pointing out an “unbearable cynicism” of the RN if he added his votes to those of the NFP which vilifies the Lepenists in its motion, and on the side of PS a “complete loss of bearings” for this “party of government”. It was on the plane that took him to Saudi Arabia that the head of state learned on Monday that the National Rally had decided to censor Michel Barnier. And it is on the return flight, or just after landing in Paris, that he will learn the verdict of the National Assembly this Wednesday evening.
07:00
Motions of censure examined at 4:00 p.m.
The Assembly will examine from 4:00 p.m. this afternoon the motions of censure tabled by the almost entire New Popular Front and the alliance between the National Rally and the Ciottists, to bring down the Prime Minister, appointed on September 5. That of the left has every chance of being adopted, the RN having promised to vote for it, probably around 8:00 p.m.
These two motions were tabled on Monday following the Prime Minister’s triggering of article 49.3 of the Constitution, to have the Social Security financing bill adopted without a vote. The left criticizes the government for pursuing a policy “sanctioned at the ballot box”, and the far right for proposing a “dangerous, unfair and punitive” budget project.