French National Assembly Rejects Two No-Confidence Motions Against Government Energy Planning

The French National Assembly announced on the 25th that two no-confidence motions against the government’s energy plan were rejected in votes held that day. This marks the fifth time this year that the government led by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has survived a no-confidence vote. The two motions received 140 and 108 votes in favor respectively, both falling short of the 289 votes needed to pass, which requires a majority of the National Assembly members.

On the 23rd, France’s far-right National Rally and some members of the far-left La France Insoumise submitted no-confidence motions against the government in protest against the third “Multi-Year Energy Plan” released on the 13th. Both parties argued that, according to relevant laws, the government should have advanced this energy plan through legislative procedures. Additionally, the National Rally accused the government of making “irrational choices” regarding intermittent energy sources influenced by the European Commission, and of “lying on nuclear issues, posing significant risks to public finances.” La France Insoumise believed that the plan “slows down the development of renewable energy at an unprecedented pace,” threatening France’s energy sovereignty.

According to the French government website, France’s first Multi-Year Energy Plan was published in 2016 as a tool for regulating and coordinating energy policy. The current third plan outlines France’s energy strategy from 2026 to 2035, emphasizing the promotion of decarbonized energy development, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and increasing the consumption of cleaner electricity.

French media reported that the release of the third Multi-Year Energy Plan faced numerous obstacles, undergoing three years of intense debate and multiple delays before finally being published. (Xinhua)