Sébastien Lecornu Survives Motions of Censure Amid Political Tensions in October 2025

On October 16, 2025, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu narrowly escaped motions of censure in the National Assembly, securing his position despite significant opposition from left-wing and far-right parties. The key motion, supported by La France Insoumise (LFI), communists, ecologists, and others, received 271 votes—18 short of the 289 votes required to topple the government. A second motion from the National Rally (RN) also failed, gathering only 144 votes.

Lecornu's survival was largely attributed to the Socialist Party's (PS) strategic decision to support him in exchange for his promise to suspend the controversial pension reform. This pact reflected a major political bargaining effort to maintain stability, as the PS party demonstrated strong discipline: only a handful of its deputies—about seven—defied party lines to vote with the censure motion. Discussions with Lecornu reportedly influenced five ultramarine PS deputies who initially considered supporting the motion to reconsider.

The centre-right Les Républicains (LR) contributed minimal support to the censure motions, with only two or three deputies possibly voting against Lecornu. Among dissidents, Alexandra Martin aligned with faction leader David Lisnard opposed Macron’s policies but did not alter the outcome. The independent Liot group also showed limited participation in the censure votes.

Following the vote, Lecornu expressed readiness to move forward with legislative work, notably preparing for the upcoming National Assembly debates on the government budget. He emphasized he would not invoke Article 49.3—which allows passing laws without a vote—aiming instead for a collaborative approach. However, left-wing critics like LFI spokesperson Aurélie Trouvé condemned the budget policies as recessionary and socially unjust, while RN’s Marine Le Pen denounced the suspension of pension reforms as a political deception.

This sequence of events marks a precarious but tangible political victory for Lecornu and President Macron, especially after recent government reshuffles stirred unrest within LR ranks. The budget, which entails approximately €30 billion in spending cuts, is set for contentious discussion starting next week amid warnings from left-wing parties that the government’s stability remains contingent on pension reform suspension.

Overall, Lecornu is more secure now than former Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne was during her similar confidence vote in 2023, but challenges remain as France faces ongoing political fragmentation and economic pressures.