Hollande invokes constitution to force through economic reform bill

French president Francois Hollande i faced down a mass rebellion by his governing Socialist party on Tuesday, invoking a seldom-used procedure in the French constitution to force through a controversial bill aimed at liberalising the French economy.

After the Socialist’s majority in the National Assembly appeared to be melting away, Hollande used article 49.3 of the Constitution, which gives the government the power to by-pass the National Assembly when it doesn’t have majority support.