French PM at risk in hostile parliament vote [Video]

France’s Prime Minister Michel Barnier faced being deposed by a hostile parliament Monday when his government presents a social security financing plan that has the opposition up in arms.

The conservative Barnier, who formed a minority government in September after an inconclusive general election, lives under the constant threat of a no-confidence vote that could force him to quit.

Key to any such vote is Marine Le Pen, parliamentary leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) that has opposed several parts of the government’s 2025 budget plan, including the social security financing to be debated in the lower-house National Assembly on Monday.

In the latest concession to the RN, the prime minister’s office said it was scrapping plans for a less generous prescription drug reimbursement policy from next year.

If Barnier fails to get a parliamentary majority for his measures, he is expected to use executive powers to adopt them …