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00:00Hoping to steer France's minority government out of a deepening political crisis,
00:05French Prime Minister Michel Barnier agreed Thursday to scrap plans for an unpopular
00:10electricity tax hike. Far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella welcomed the move,
00:16but warned Barnier only had a few days left to make even more concessions or risk the
00:22government's collapse. The Macron administration and the opposition have for weeks been locked
00:27in a tense standoff over proposed budget cuts, which the government says are necessary to bring
00:33down France's deficit, but which have been widely criticized by the left and the far right.
00:40France's left-wing parties, which were left out of the ruling coalition despite coming out on top
00:45in September's snap elections, said they would seek a motion of no confidence if Barnier tried
00:51to force the budget through. Mr Barnier met with the presidents of the socialists,
00:57but rejected all their proposals. So if the government tries to force the budget through,
01:03there will be a no confidence motion, and I will vote for it.
01:07The far right, which now holds the key to the prime minister's survival,
01:11has sought to capitalize on this position of strength to wring out fresh concessions.
01:16It's threatened to support the motion of no confidence if the government didn't do more
01:22to curb immigration and lower taxes.