French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou survived his first no-confidence votein France’s highly divided parliament on Thursday (January 16) after the far-right and Socialists abstained in the vote. 

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In a National Assembly with 577 lawmakers, just 131 supported the far-left’s proposal to oust the new premier.

The vote followed a controversial statement earlier this week in which Bayrou outlined his government’s policy plans. He proposed reopening discussions on 2023 pension reforms, describing the approach as “without taboo,” while also addressing the need to tackle France’s “excessive” deficits in the current year’s budget.

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The statement provoked strong criticism from much of the opposition, leaving his coalition government at risk of a no-confidence motion.

Bayrou is the sixth prime minister to serve under President Emmanuel Macron. He was appointed last month after the resignation of Michel Barnier, who served just three months in office, making him the shortest-serving prime minister in French history.

President Macron appointed Bayrou to restore stability following Barnier’s brief tenure. However, the fFrenchpolitical landscape remains disturbed.

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In June last year, Macron called early parliamentary elections to resolve political deadlock, but the move led to further instability, which the French President admitted.

“Lucidity and humility force (me) to recognise that at this stage, this decision has produced more instability than peace, and I fully own up to that,” Macron said during a televised address ahead of the New Year celebrations.

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He added, “The dissolution caused more divisions in the Assembly than solutions for the French people.”

Under constitutional rules, new parliamentary elections cannot be held until July.

(With inputs from agencies)