It would not be possible to implement fixed-term parliaments if a general election could be called by a simple majority in the House of Commons, he said.
To avoid allowing a "zombie government" to stagger on for years, unable to muster a majority to pass any new laws, the Fixed Term Parliaments Bill, says an election will be called 14 days after a lost confidence vote if no alternative government is able to show they have the confidence of MPs.
There is no doubt that Mr Jospin keeps his eye fixed firmly on 2002, when a parliamentary election is due in March and a presidential election two months later.
With afixed and overvalued exchange rate, Chavez will rely on tough spending cuts (after a pre-election bonanza) and devaluation, which would act as a de facto tax hike.