France’s far-right leader threatens to vote down any future government

The parliamentary group of France’s far-right National Rally party has pledged to back any no-confidence motion against future French governments, party leader Marine Le Pen has said.

“I will support any motion of no confidence. Absolutely any,” Caliber.Az quotes Le Pen as saying.

The leader criticised recent proposals from the ruling camp to suspend the 2023 pension reform, which raised the retirement age from 62 to 64, describing them as a mere attempt by the authorities to buy time.

Le Pen also urged President Emmanuel Macron to “seriously consider dissolving parliament and even resigning”, adding: “Enough is enough; this has gone on far too long.”

Political instability post-2024 snap elections left a hung parliament, forcing Macron's minority governments to negotiate. In January 2025, new PM François Bayrou announced renegotiations with unions and employers to tweak the reform, seeking Socialist support for the budget; he called the 64 age "not taboo" but insisted on financial balance. By March, Bayrou ruled out a full U-turn, deeming it "not realistic" amid defence spending pressures.

As of October 8, 2025, Macron's allies signal flexibility: former PM Élisabeth Borne endorsed suspending the reform temporarily to stabilise governance and form a new cabinet, amid ongoing budget woes and no-confidence threats. Conservatives warn of €3.4 billion in 2025 costs for reversal, while left and far-right (e.g., Marine Le Pen) push for repeal.

Protests persist, including creative actions like "late arrivals" to symbolise lost retirement time. Macron's core position—reform for solvency—holds, but concessions may be inevitable to avert a crisis ahead of the 2027 elections.

By Aghakazim Guliyev