(MENAFN) France’s government, led by reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, narrowly avoided collapse Thursday after a no-confidence motion fell short of the 289 votes needed to unseat the administration.

Out of the National Assembly, 271 deputies backed the motion while 18 opposed it, resulting in the rejection of the motion put forward by the far-left party France Unbowed (LFI).

A second no-confidence motion initiated by the far-right National Rally (RN) is slated for a vote next but is also anticipated to fail.

Olivier Faure, first secretary of the Socialist Party, which has hinted at filing its own no-confidence motion, stated, "They will not censure the government 'as long as Parliament is respected.'"

This position from the center-left came after Lecornu pledged to halt the implementation of contentious pension reforms until after the next presidential election—a significant concession to opposition demands.

The reforms, introduced in 2023 under then-Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and upheld by successive administrations, aim to incrementally raise France’s retirement age from 62 to 64, sparking some of the country’s most prolonged strikes in decades.

Lecornu, reinstated last week following a brief resignation amid political unrest, told legislators he plans to propose legislation this fall to freeze the pension reforms until January 2028.

Political Upheaval Continues Amid Government Instability
France remains engulfed in political volatility, with repeated cabinet failures and budget impasses shaking the government.

Last December, Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s center-right administration collapsed after losing a confidence vote tied to the 2025 budget. His successor, Francois Bayrou, faced similar hurdles when his 2026 budget proposal, which included eliminating several public holidays to save €43 billion ($50.1 billion), was rejected by parliament.

Bayrou’s government also fell after a confidence vote in September, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to appoint then-Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister on Sept. 9. However, Lecornu resigned less than a month later on Oct. 6.

Macron promptly reappointed Lecornu on Oct. 10.

Lecornu’s first tenure lasted barely a day; he resigned under pressure on Oct. 6 but was reappointed four days later. His new Cabinet, announced on Oct. 12, immediately faced two no-confidence motions from RN and LFI lawmakers, both scheduled for debate on Oct. 16.

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