The French government has narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence, which was triggered when President Emmanuel Macron decided to push through controversial reforms to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote. It sparked new anti-government protests in Paris, where 101 people were arrested after stand-offs with police. The vote, tabled by centrist MPs, had 278 votes in favour, falling short of the 287 votes needed. Had it been successful, Macron would have had to name a new government or call new elections. A second no-confidence motion, tabled by Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, also did not pass. The votes were held after Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne used a special constitutional power, called Article 49:3, to push the bill through without a vote last week. It sparked angry protests at the weekend, with demonstrators clashing with police and blocking streets with debris fires in central Paris, as well as cities around the country. Monday's failed votes saw fresh protests in the capital, with a tense standoff between protesters and anti-riot police. The first motion, which had the backing of several left-wing parties including the Green Party and the Socialist Party, was the only one likely to succeed. When that vote failed, members of the left-wing contingent that voted for it held placards reading continue and we'll meet in the streets, and shouted that the prime minister should resign.
