"As French politics continues to lurch from crisis to crisis, obscure articles of the constitution are becoming part of the everyday conversation, such as the current discussion on whether the prime minister will use Article 47. It is perhaps a sign that not everything is going smoothly in politics right now that the average person is becoming increasingly familiar with certain articles of the French constitution."
"But in recent weeks, a new one has entered the conversation - Article 47. You can listen to the team at The Local discuss the latest in French politics, and the use of Article 47, in the Talking France podcast - download here or listen on the link below Both of these are articles of the current French constitution, written in 1958, and both concern how governments can get bills passed through parliaments when there is a deadlock."
French politics is repeatedly facing crises that have made obscure constitutional articles part of everyday conversation. Over the past three years, Article 49.3 has entered popular awareness as le quarante-neuf trois, appearing in graffiti and on demonstration signs. Article 49.3 allows a government to force financial or social security bills through parliament without a vote, usable once per parliamentary session except for budgets. Use commonly triggers an opposition motion de censure; a successful motion forces the prime minister to resign and cancels the challenged bill. Michel Barnier lost such a motion in December 2024, toppling the 2025 budget and prompting a rollover by François Bayrou. Article 47 has some similarities but important differences.
Read at The Local France
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