They have asked left-wing critics of the labour reform to back them -- something the minister for parliamentary relations, Jean-Marie Le Guen, said was "inconceivable". Meanwhile the leader of around 30 dissenters among the ruling Socialists, Christian Paul, said he hoped to join forces with green MPs to muster the 58 deputies needed to introduce a separate no-confidence motion "of the left". Two right-wing opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion to be debated in the 575-seat parliament on Thursday, and between them they have 226 of the 288 votes that would be needed to topple the government. Outside parliament, hundreds of people had gathered to protest the move, chanting "True democracy is here" and calling for Hollande's resignation. He said the government wanted to avoid "a disheartening spectacle of division and political posturing because of an obstructionist minority".

Source: Standard Digital May 11, 2016 02:11 UTC