Elisabeth Borne triggers 49.3 on the revenue side, LFI and the RN file motions of censure

2023-10-25 19:08:29
Elisabeth Borne at the National Assembly, October 23, 2023. JULIEN MUGUET FOR “LE MONDE”

The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, on Wednesday October 25, took responsibility for her government on the revenue part of the draft Social Security budget for 2024, using 49.3, her third since the resumption of parliamentary work in September. Earlier in the day, the National Assembly rejected the first three articles of the Social Security budget planned by the government.

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“Despite our overtures, once again, the practice according to which opposition groups refuse to vote on a budget, whatever it may be, has prevailed”, declared Ms. Borne during a short speech at the National Assembly. Article 49.3 of the Constitution allows the adoption of a text without a vote, unless a motion of censure is adopted against the government.

In response, La France insoumise immediately announced the tabling of a motion of censure – with communist and environmentalist signatures and the promise of votes from the Socialist Party –, like Marine Le Pen’s National Rally group. They have little chance of succeeding, the deputies of the Les Républicains group ruling out bringing down the government on a budgetary text. In the hours preceding the arrival of Ms. Borne in the hemicycle, the presidential camp had suffered a series of setbacks, with the rejection of the first three articles examined, under the crossfire of the oppositions.

They jointly denounce underfunding of health, in particular hospitals, in this bill to finance Social Security for 2024, which they managed to reject in an unprecedented manner in committee last week. . They also point to economic forecasts “unrealistic” even “insincere” in this budget which expects a Social Security deficit of 11.2 billion in 2024.

Read also: How does article 49.3, used for the twelfth time by Elisabeth Borne, work?

The World with AFP