FRANCE’S minority government was expected to survive yesterday’s no-confidence vote in the National Assembly as the far right appeared to throw its weight behind right-wing prime minister Michel Barnier.

The no-confidence motion was brought by 192 lawmakers of the New Popular Front, composed of the communists, France Unbowed, socialists and Greens.

But the new government, mostly composed of members of Mr Barnier’s Republicans party, who came last in the Assembly election, and members of President Emmanuel Macron’s alliance who altogether count just over 200 lawmakers, appears to have the numbers to survive.