French far-right leader Jordan Bardella stated on Tuesday that French citizens would bear the brunt of increased uncertainty regarding the budget, hinting that his party might abstain from no-confidence votes against Francois Bayrou's minority administration.
Bayrou successfully pushed the 2025 budget bill through parliament on Monday, counting on having appeased enough opponents to withstand a potential no-confidence vote that could curtail his premiership.
In contemplating the decision between a flawed budget or no budget at all, Bardella expressed on CNews television, I think that amidst the current turmoil, introducing further instability that would significantly impact the economy would not be beneficial to the French people.
Furthermore, Bardella noted that even with the Socialist Party's decision not to support the impending no-confidence vote, Bayrou's government would, from a sheer numerical standpoint, withstand the challenge, scheduled for Wednesday. Mathematically, the government cannot fall, he affirmed.
Pressure had been mounting on France to finalize the long-awaited budget, as business leaders, EU allies, and voters displayed impatience with a political class struggling to bridge its divisions.
France has grappled with political uncertainty since President Emmanuel Macron's unexpected snap election in June resulted in a hung parliament coinciding with an unforeseen shortfall in public finances.