The hemicycle was almost deserted when the National Assembly rejected, on the night of Thursday November 9 to Friday November 11, the motion of censure from La France insoumise (LFI) tabled in response to 49.3 triggered by Elisabeth Borne on the “expenses” part. » of the 2024 budget.
This 24th motion of censure against the Prime Minister obtained 167 votes, far from the 289 required to bring down the government. This rejection constitutes adoption at first reading of the finance bill (PLF). The text will now continue its journey to the Senate, where it is expected in the chamber from November 23.
Only 78 deputies had signed the motion, the LFI group and a handful of communist deputies, a sign of the weariness of elected officials in the face of the government’s litany of 49.3 such as motions of censure from La France insoumise. The Prime Minister did not fail to point out the low number of signatories to the motion, “new proof”, according to her, of the “divisions” of the left-wing Nupes alliance.
Basically, she accused La France insoumise of wanting “austerity” with the “major tax increases” that it is proposing. She welcomed the fact that the government managed to pass its end-of-management finance bill at first reading on Wednesday without 49.3.
The reproach of paying little attention to majority votes
“If I were in your place, I would put all the means of the State into action so that no child sleeps outside tonight. But no, you, you make 49.3 for the rich,” MP Antoine Léaument (LFI) told him in his introduction.
The use of the constitutional weapon of 49.3 allows the government to retain, in its final copy, the amendments at its convenience.
He retained several proposals from the opposition. Thus, at the request of the independent LIOT group and Horizons MPs, the fuel allowance of 100 euros will be extended to 1.6 million additional beneficiaries, to reach a total cost of around 600 million euros.
On the education side, 30 million euros will be allocated to the creation of anti-harassment brigades within academies, with an amendment from MoDem – an issue which the government has made a priority.
But MPs from all sides criticize the government for paying little attention to the majority votes obtained in committee or in the hemicycle, and sometimes for retaining amendments which were not even the subject of discussion in Parliament.