Catherine Viette is pleased to welcome Dr. Andrew Smith, Historian of Modern France at Queen Mary University of London. In a time of political gridlock and economic uncertainty, the French PM has invoked Article 49.3 to force through its budget. Dr. Smith described this as more of a “negotiated 49.3”, a tactical manoeuvre involving both compromise and constraint. His insights highlight the structural paralysis of a fractured parliament, the symbolic power of budgetary control, and the broader implications for France’s fiscal credibility on the European stage.
