French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has invoked article 49.3 of the Constitution to pass the first part of the government’s 2024 budget. The move skips debate in the National Assembly, where lawmakers had introduced hundreds of amendments. This is the first time she has used 49.3 since it was used to pass the controversial pension reform in March, and the 13th time she has used it in her tenure as prime minister.
Borne said she was taking responsibility for getting a budget passed in the face of a parliament where the government does not have a majority.
