French parliament prepares for key budget vote

"France's tense political situation - including a prime minister without a majority and a deeply divided parliament - means that it is far from guaranteed that France will enter 2026 with a confirmed budget. Debates on next year's spending plans have been ongoing since September, but this week will see a crucial make-or-break vote. On Tuesday MPs in the Assemblée nationale will vote on the first part of the budget - the (Sécu) social security spending."

"If prime minister Sébastien Lecornu fails to achieve a majority, there is virtually no chance of getting the budget passed by the normal routes. If the Sécu section is passed, he's still not out of the woods, because MPs also have to vote on the second section, the Revenue spending. The vote for that is expected to take place shortly before Christmas. The Sécu vote is scheduled to take place in the late afternoon or evening of Tuesday, December 9th."

"To this end he has been conducting weeks of behind-closed-doors negotiations with the other parties, trying to appeal to a sense of responsibility to avoid the possibility of France entering the New Year without a proper spending plan. On Monday, the centre-left Parti Socialiste were indicating that they would vote for the budget, while former prime minister Michel Barnier and several of his centre-right colleagues were indicating that they will abstain. However, negotiations will likely go right to the wire, so the situation would change."

A decisive vote on the social security (Sécu) portion of France's 2026 budget is scheduled for the afternoon or evening of Tuesday, December 9. Failure to secure a majority for the Sécu bill would make passing the full budget by normal parliamentary routes highly unlikely. Even if the Sécu section passes, MPs must still approve the Revenue section, expected shortly before Christmas. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu lacks a parliamentary majority and is relying on opposition support or abstentions, conducting intensive behind-closed-doors negotiations with other parties as outcomes remain closely contested.

Read at The Local France