PARIS -The government of French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said it would push the 2023 budget bill through the lower house of parliament, using special constitutional powers to override the need for a parliamentary vote.
"It is our responsibility to make sure our country has a budget", Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told lawmakers, adding that it would also take too long for the parliament to fully examine all of the amendments proposed by lawmakers.
The government triggered article 49.3 of the constitution, which allows it to pass a draft law by decree, effectively bypassing lawmakers.
A left-wing coalition has said that it would respond with a no-confidence motion, which is largely symbolic as it has little chance of passing.
Macron's government resorted to using the measure to pass the 2023 budget after it lost its absolute majority in the National Assembly in June's legislative elections.
The move highlights the president's weakness in parliament and flies in the face of post-election promises to reach out to other parties and negotiate more on important legislation.
Ministers have said that there was little choice but to turn to the rarely used powers after opposition parties tacked hundreds of amendments onto the budget bill, potentially adding more than 8 billion euros ($7.9 billion) to the deficit if adopted.
In a blow to the government, even some of Macron's centrist allies joined lawmakers from the left and far-right in backing an amendment for a dividend tax on large corporations' windfall profits.