PARIS — French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu can breathe a sigh of relief for now after a no-confidence motion against his government failed to pass on Thursday.
A total of 271 lawmakers voted in favor of the measure, falling below the 289 threshold that would have brought down the government. MPs will vote on a second no-confidence motion put forward by the far right, but left-wing lawmakers have already said they will not support it.
Lecornu was expected to survive after committing to suspend an unpopular law that raised the age of retirement, but the result was not a sure thing given the risk of lawmakers breaking ranks with their party leaders. The freeze of the law until the next presidential election in 2027 was significant concession to the Socialist Party, which has been thrust into a kingmaker role. Retirement reform was considered a flagship achievement for French President Emmanuel Macron.