Circumstances

The House may pass a vote of no confidence in the Council of Ministers as well as in an individual minister (Article 158 of the Constitution).

Modalites

The House passes a vote of no confidence in the Council of Ministers by a majority of votes of all deputies, on a motion moved by at least 46 deputies and which specifies the name of a candidate for Prime Minister (Article 158 of the Constitution). A motion to pass a resolution may be put to a vote no sooner than seven days after it has been submitted. A subsequent motion of a like kind may be submitted no sooner than after the end of three months from the day the previous motion was submitted, unless such a motion is submitted by at least 115 deputies. A motion for a vote of no confidence in an individual minister may be submitted by at least 69 deputies.

Consequences

The President recalls a minister in whom a vote of no confidence has been passed by a majority of votes of all deputies. If such a resolution has been passed against the Council of Ministers, the President accepts its resignation and appoints a new Prime Minister as chosen by the House, and, on his application, the other ministers. Over the last 11 years (1990-2000), 25 motions of no confidence have been tabled in the House, most of them against individual ministers.