Key facts
- France's Green party is initiating a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's government.
- The motion is a response to the government's handling of a recent record-breaking heat wave.
- Record temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius for several days.
- Preliminary data suggests approximately 1,000 additional deaths occurred during the heat wave.
- A poll found 53% of respondents believe France is unprepared for such heat waves.
The French Green party announced Tuesday it would introduce a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's minority government, citing its response to a recent record-breaking heat wave. The bid is unlikely to succeed without support from other opposition parties.
During the heat wave, mainland France recorded its highest average daily temperature for three consecutive days, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in major cities. The country is noted for its lack of widespread air conditioning.
A poll conducted during the heat wave indicated that two-thirds of respondents believed the administration had mishandled the crisis, and 53 percent felt France was unprepared for such extreme weather.
Preliminary data from the French national health agency estimates approximately 1,000 additional deaths compared to the previous month, though the precise toll is still being determined. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist stated that final figures would take time to process.
During a parliamentary session, Greens' leader Cyrielle Chatelain accused Lecornu's government of bearing responsibility for the deaths and pursuing policies that exacerbate inequality. Lecornu responded angrily, calling the Greens' move a political controversy, and his office later accused Chatelain of using the deceased to score political points.