French far right threaten to collapse government over budget

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Monday that she could bring down France’s minority government by the end of the year unless changes are made to the country’s budget bill. 

Le Pen made her comments following a meeting with France’s conservative Prime Minister Michel Barnier where the two discussed next year’s budget and other political issues.

Barnier was to meet with other political leaders from the left and centre later in the day. 

Lawmakers from Le Pen’s National Rally party would bring a confidence motion if the bill now being debated in parliament “stays as it is,” she said. 

“Red lines” included a refusal to raise electricity taxes and the need to increase state pensions from January, she said. 

The French budget bill for next year must be passed by December 21st. 

Pressure on government to reduce deficit

Le Pen’s comments come as she and other National Rally officials are on trial over the suspected embezzlement of EU funds. Prosecutors recommended a two-year prison sentence for her along with a five-year ineligibility to run for office. 

Following France’s June/July parliamentary elections, the country’s lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, is divided into three major blocs. A left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front, Macron’s centrist allies and the far-right National Rally. None won an outright majority. 

Barnier’s Cabinet is mostly composed of members of his Republican party and centrists from President Emmanuel Macron’s alliance, who altogether count just over 210 lawmakers out of 577. 

France is facing pressure from the EU to reduce its debt – with Barnier’s cabinet hoping to take the French deficit from an estimated 6% of its GDP to 5% next year through a budget squeeze. 

Last month, the government survived a no-confidence vote brought by the left-wing coalition because the far-right group abstained from voting.