<h1>Prime minister seeks confidence vote on €44bn austerity plan; expected defeat would force resignation and successor search</h1> The prime minister has called a confidence vote in the National Assembly to endorse proposed €44 billion spending cuts and austerity measures; the motion is widely expected to fail, which under the constitution would require the prime minister to tender the government's resignation to the president and trigger a search for a successor. The fragmented legislature created by last year's dissolution lacks a governing majority, with opposition blocs holding a combined majority able to topple the minority government. The impasse risks continued executive instability during a period of elevated public debt (about 114% of GDP) and fiscal-rule pressure from EU targets.