By Leigh Thomas
PARIS (Reuters) -France’s far right National Rally (RN) leaders said on Sunday that the government had rebuffed its calls for more budget concessions, raising the chances of a no confidence vote in the coming days that could topple Prime Minister Michel Barnier.
RN lawmaker Marine Le Pen had given Barnier until Monday to yield to the party’s budget demands or face the threat that they would back a likely no confidence motion against his government, which would trigger its collapse.
But Le Pen said the government had in effect “put an end to discussions”, she told French news agency Agence France-Presse in a major escalation of the standoff.
Earlier on Sunday she had said that Barnier faced a choice of either negotiating new concessions or face the threat that his government falls in a vote of no confidence.
Barnier already dropped a planned electricity tax increase last week, but the RN also wants him to raise pensions in line with inflation whereas he had aimed to raise some less than inflation to save money.
The RN also wants planned cuts to medication reimbursements to be scrapped and is unhappy the government may raise tax on gas. It also wants a cut in…
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