The “revenue” section adopted, a ninth 49.3 drawn, and a new motion of censure in the process… The National Assembly had an express session on Sunday according to an already known scenario, on the eve of the last week of examination of the 2023 draft budget. A few tens of seconds after seeing the “revenue” part adopted in a new reading, after the rejection of a motion of censure by the Insoumis, Élisabeth Borne went back to the podium to again brandish the constitutional weapon on the “expenditure” part and the entire finance bill.
78 votes for the new motion of censure
In front of a very sparse hemicycle for this Sunday session, most of the deputies being in the constituency, the head of government “regretted” a “multiplication of motions (which) considerably limited the time for discussions”. Sunday’s received only 78 votes. She assured not to abandon her “willingness to build compromises” and mentioned measures retained by the Senate on “the financing of public transport in Ile-de-France” or “the fight against unworthy housing in Overseas”.
To this ninth 49.3, the LFI deputies responded with a ninth motion of censure from the left (including three from all of Nupes), against “the authoritarianism of the government (which) has no limit”. The motion could be studied on Tuesday or Wednesday, but has little more chance of succeeding. Its rejection would mean adoption of the entire draft state budget in a new reading, before a final passage in the Senate, and a very likely tenth 49.3 next week in the Assembly to conclude its examination.
Borne defends the return of a rich text
On Sunday, deputies from left and right took advantage of their speaking time on the previous LFI motion of censure to defend their positions and also address pension reform. “You are in the minority so you are suppressing the vote”, accused Eric Coquerel (LFI), accusing the government of having dodged hot budget debates with 49.3, on local taxes in particular, or of having discarded adopted amendments, like the 3 billion investment in rail. On retreats, “you will need much more than a 49.3 to get by,” he said.
Elisabeth Borne defended in return a text enriched with contributions from the oppositions “on the half share of widows” or “on alternative fuels”. Socialist Valérie Rabault criticized “thresholds” on the energy tariff shield which “will leave many local authorities on the floor”. Véronique Louwagie (LR) criticized, like other elected officials, a “manifestly insincere budget” in view of the growth forecasts.
“We have so far shown kindness and patience in the interest of the country” but “the temptation to table our own motion of censure could gain ground,” she warned. An LR no-confidence motion would probably be the only one with a chance of mustering enough votes to bring down the government. For the National Rally group, Alexandre Sabatou denounced an “overabundance” of 49.3 to prepare its “use for the terrifying pension reform”.