French PM Bayrou survives first no-confidence vote in parliament

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers a speech during the debate prior to the no-confidence vote on his administration at the National Assembly in Paris, on January 16, 2025. [AFP]

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Thursday survived his first vote of no confidence in parliament after the motion, brought by the leftist opposition, failed to gain traction with the far right.

The challenge in the National Assembly came after Bayrou's statement this week on his government policy agenda, in which he opened the door to fresh talks on a 2023 pension reform "without taboo" but also said that France's "excessive" deficits needed to be cut in this year's budget.