French Government Braces for Political Storms

France is in the middle of some serious political drama. Two groups, the far-right National Rally and the hard-left France Unbowed, are trying to pass no-confidence votes against the government. But don't expect them to succeed. These votes are mostly just a big protest against the EU's new trade deal with Mercosur. Even though France wasn't totally on board with the deal, other EU countries went ahead and approved it. The groups behind the no-confidence votes think the French government didn't do enough to stop it. They're not happy, but their efforts probably won't amount to much. The votes are happening in the afternoon. Other political parties, like the Socialists and The Republicans, aren't backing these motions. They think it's a waste of time. The Republicans even said the real fight is happening in the European Parliament, not in France.Meanwhile, the government is getting ready for some tough budget talks. The prime minister might use a special rule to push the budget through without a vote. But that could lead to even more no-confidence motions. Everyone is tired of the budget fights, but the country's deficit is still near 5%. President Macron wants a budget passed in January. He's not picky about how it happens. The government spokeswoman said they're open to any option. The prime minister has softened his tone, saying he doesn't want a fight or a breakup of parliament. He just wants stability. Things have been shaky since 2022 when Macron lost his majority. It got worse when he called early elections last year, leading to a hung parliament. Now, the country is split between three big groups: Macron's center-right alliance, the left, and the far-right. It's a mess, but the government is trying to keep things together.