Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of Action and Public Accounts Amélie de Montchalin, and Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Industrial, Energy, and Digital Sovereignty Roland Lescure, during the debate on two motions of no confidence, at the Assemblée Nationale in Paris on January 27, 2026. JULIEN MUGUET FOR LE MONDE
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu forced his budget through Parliament without a vote for the third and final time Friday, January 30, exposing him to yet another no-confidence motion.
The decision to use the constitutional tool known as Article 49.3 has marked an about-face for Lecornu, who pledged last year to seek Parliament's approval, in a bid to avoid the fate of his two predecessors who were ousted over budget negotiations. But after months of negotiations reached an impasse, Lecornu announced he would use the power to force the budget, after making concessions to gain the backing of the Socialists.
"France must have a budget. And so, before this chamber, I am committing the government's responsibility for the entire Finance Bill for 2026," he told the Assemblée Nationale on Friday while invoking the power to push it through.
