France's Political Standoff: No-Confidence Votes and Budget Battles

The French government faces two no-confidence votes, expected to fail, paving the way for contentious budget discussions. The votes challenge the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, opposed by both far-right and hard-left factions. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu anticipates more no-confidence votes if Article 49.3 is used for budget approval.

The French government is bracing for two impending no-confidence votes on Wednesday. These motions, unlikely to succeed, are a reaction against the European Union's trade deal with the Mercosur bloc. Despite domestic opposition, the EU recently greenlit the agreement with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The votes have been spearheaded by the far-right National Rally and the hard-left France Unbowed, who accuse President Emmanuel Macron's administration of insufficient efforts to thwart the deal. The motions will be deliberated in the parliament's lower house, yet major opposition parties have opted not to support them.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is allowing these motions to play out while gearing up for tough budget negotiations, which may see the use of Article 49.3 to bypass a parliamentary vote, potentially leading to further no-confidence challenges. France's political landscape remains turbulent following past election results that led to a hung parliament.

(With inputs from agencies.)