Both the far-right National Rally and center-left Socialist Party declined to back a no-confidence vote in new French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. But France's parliament remains bitterly divided.

PARIS - The prospects of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's minority government surviving in the long term appeared slimmer after the Socialist Party raised the threat of backing a no-confidence vote on Thursday.

There should be “no totems or taboos” as new prime minister fights to reform pensions — and keep his job.

The French centre-left Socialist party will not back a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's government, Le Figaro reported on Thursday, citing an intra-party meeting. Dozens of far-left lawmakers have put forward a no-confidence motion against Bayrou,

By Makini Brice, Elizabeth Pineau and Dominique Vidalon PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou passed the first test of his new minority government on Thursday as he survived a vote of no-confidence called by the hard left after the centre-left Socialist Party did not back the motion.

Newly appointed French Prime Minister François Bayrou survived a no-confidence vote on Thursday after the opposition Socialist Party chose not to back the motion. In the surprise turn of events, most Socialist lawmakers decided not to withdraw their confidence in Bayrou's government unlike their left-wing allies,