France's main far-right party does not intend to back a no-confidence motion against François Bayrou over a cost-cutting budget, its president said Tuesday, in a boost to the prime minister.
On Monday, Bayrou rammed through budget legislation using Article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the government to pass laws without a vote. The step immediately prompted a no-confidence motion from part of the left in the divided parliament.
Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right Rassemblement National (RN), said his party did not intend to back the motion, though it would take its final decision on Wednesday, when the vote is expected. Even if the RN did change its mind, Bayrou appears certain to keep his job for now, after the Socialists decided on Monday against backing the motion.
"It's a bad budget," Bardella told the Europe1/CNews broadcaster, but "we need a budget."
"We need to avoid uncertainty because many of our fellow citizens... are extremely worried about possible long-term instability," he said.
A sustainable budget plan for this year is the priority for Bayrou, after the austerity budget plan of his predecessor, Michel Barnier, was jettisoned along with his government in December.