France's 'Government Collapse' Crisis...When House of Representatives votes are skipped, opposition parties "submit a motion of no confidence."

[Anchor]
The French government is on the verge of dissolution through no-confidence for the first time in more than 60 years.

When the government skipped the vote of the House of Representatives and processed the welfare budget, the opposition parties said they would submit a no-confidence motion for the government, left and right.

Reporter Lee Kyung-ah reports.

[Reporter]
The French government passed the Social Security Finance Act, which manages income and expenditure of the national pension and health insurance, without a vote by the House of Representatives.

When negotiations with the opposition party broke down, they used a constitutional clause that passed the bill under the government's authority.

[Michelle Barnier/Prime Minister of France: In accordance with Article 49 (3) of the Constitution, I promise to fulfill my government's responsibilities for the entire Social Security Finance Bill of 2025.]

Not only the far-right National Union but also the left wing strongly protested the government's enforcement.

The opposition parties said they would submit a no-confidence motion.

[Marine Le Pen / Right-wing 'National Coalition' House Majority Leader: We will vote with a motion of no confidence. The French have had enough. They've had enough of being trampled]

[Matilde Pano / Left-wing 'Unsubjugated France' House Majority Leader: Michel Barnier will go down in history as prime minister of the Fifth Republic and the shortest-serving prime minister.]

If the number of opposition seats is combined, the collapse of the government is likely to become a reality, well beyond the majority of the House of Representatives, which can pass a no-confidence motion.

If this happens, it will be the first case of dissolution of the government through no-confidence since Georges Pompidou's government in 1962.

The no-confidence motion is expected to be voted on as early as the 4th.

If the government dissolves, French President Emmanuel Macron must re-nominate a successor as prime minister, but it is not easy for the minority ruling party to find a successor.

Earlier, Barnier's government finalized next year's budget plan, which includes cuts to government spending, including welfare budgets, and tax increases for large corporations and the wealthy.

However, both left and right parties have opposed the government budget for reasons such as increased social inequality and increased corporate burdens.

I'm YTN Lee Kyungah.