France’s Socialist government wins confidence vote

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls narrowly won a crucial confidence vote in the lower house of the French parliament on the 16 September 2014, despite a recent cabinet revolt over austerity measures.

French deputies voted 269 to 244 in favour of President François Hollande’s policies, after Valls delivered an impassioned speech in which he vowed to press ahead with controversial spending cuts and tax breaks for companies.

France's new economy minister Emmanuel Macron said on the 17 September 2014 that the country was 'sick' due to record unemployment and stagnant growth. The only way to heal the patient was through reforms, he said. On the following day, President Hollande pleaded with Germany and other European partners to be patient with France and give it more time to reform before it meets deficit targets, admitting that results were coming too slowly.

• Primary Source

La Croix, 16.09.14: Valls's opponents help him on vote of confidence (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE150408-Valls-s-opponents-help-him-on-vote-of-confidence

ESO: Background information: France’s Hollande orders cabinet reshuffle amid economy row http://www.europeansources.info/record/frances-hollande-orders-cabinet-reshuffle-amid-economy-row/

ESO: Background information: France to miss 2015 deficit target, says finance minister http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-to-miss-2015-deficit-target-says-finance-minister/

The Local.fr,16.09.14: 'France must not deviate from its commitments' http://www.thelocal.fr/20140916/frances-troubled-leaders-face-confidence-vote

BBC News, 16.09.14: French PM Manuel Valls wins confidence vote http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29218624

ESO: Background information: French far right at 'gates of power' http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-far-right-at-gates-of-power/

L'Opinion, 16.09.14: Valls waffles under attack from all sides (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE150504-Valls-waffles-under-attack-from-all-sides

EurActiv, 17.09.14: French government loses absolute majority in parliament http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/french-government-loses-absolute-majority-parliament-308511

The Local.fr, 17.09.14: 'France is sick, there's no choice but to reform http://www.thelocal.fr/20140917/france-sick-economy-macron-reform

Deutsche Welle, 16.09.14: French Prime Minister Valls wins confidence vote http://dw.de/p/1DDbV

The Guardian, 16.09.14: French government wins high-risk confidence vote http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/16/french-government-manuel-valls-wins-confidence-vote

Euronews, 16.09.14: French PM Valls narrowly wins confidence vote http://www.euronews.com/2014/09/16/french-government-wins-confidence-vote-in-the-national-assembly/

EurActiv, 19.09.14: Hollande asks Europe for patience with France, vows reform http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/hollande-asks-europe-patience-france-vows-reform-308569

Le Figaro, 18.09.14: Hollande wants no more talk of reforms (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE150651-Hollande-wants-no-more-talk-of-reforms

Le Figaro, 08.12.14: Valls has no choice but to do nothing (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE154886-Valls-has-no-choice-but-to-do-nothing

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