Jean-Luc Mélenchon has declared war on his socialist “allies” after they refused to back a no-confidence motion against the new centrist prime minister’s budget, which was approved on Thursday.

The French Leftist figurehead said the Socialist party had effectively left the opposition New Popular Front alliance, which also includes Greens and Communists, along with his France Unbowed (LFI) party.

In a speech in Angers on Wednesday night, Mr Mélenchon said: “We don’t want to be mixed up with those liars.”

To boos, he added that the Socialists “are the ones who have broken with us [by not supporting the no-confidence motion].”

His comments came hours before the French parliament on Thursday finally adopted Francois Bayrou’s 2025 budget following a chaotic past few months.

The Senate, dominated by the Right and centre-Right, approved the budget with 219 votes for and 107 against.

The stand-off over the budget forced the end of the short-lived government of Michel Barnier in 2024 but Mr Bayrou, a veteran centrist appointed by President Emmanuel Macron to end months of political crisis, has avoided a similar fate, largely thanks to the Socialist party.