Paris (EFE).- French lawmakers approved the country’s 2026 Social Security budget on tuesday, clearing the way for the government to move toward adopting the full state budget before the end of the year, but political uncertainty and tight parliamentary margins remain.
The bill was approved in the National Assembly by 247 votes in favor and 232 against, a margin of 15 votes that was slightly wider than in the first reading last week.
The vote allowed French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to remain in office for now, as his minority government faces continued pressure from both the left and the right.
Narrow vote in divided parliament
The outcome remained uncertain until the last moment, as the left-wing party France Unbowed (LFI) sought to convince Green lawmakers to oppose the bill after they abstained in the first vote.
The Greens ultimately maintained their abstention, enabling the text to pass.
“This vote allows us to move forward responsibly,” Lecornu said after the result, describing the approval as “an essential step to ensure the continuity of our social protection system.”
The bill had been overwhelmingly rejected in the Senate, where right-wing and center-right parties hold a large majority, highlighting the deep divisions between the two chambers of parliament.
Costly concessions to the left
To secure enough support, Lecornu made significant concessions to the Socialists; most notably, suspending the pension reform adopted in 2023 which had raised the minimum retirement age by two years.
Those concessions increased projected spending by around 5 billion euros, putting at risk France’s commitment to reduce its public deficit to 5% of gross domestic product, a target agreed with Brussels as part of a plan to bring the deficit back to 3% by 2029.
“The government chose compromise over paralysis,” a Socialist lawmaker said, adding that the suspension of the pension reform was “a political and social necessity.”
The measures also deepened divisions within French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition, with some of its members warning about the long-term impact on public finances.
Budget showdown still ahead
The government must now secure agreements to pass the full 2026 state budget before Dec. 31. This task is widely seen as even more challenging.
A joint committee of lawmakers from both chambers is expected to meet on Friday to try to agree on a common text, which would then be put to a vote next week.
As doubts grow over the prospects for a compromise, calls are increasing for Lecornu to invoke a constitutional mechanism that would allow the budget to be adopted without a parliamentary vote.
The prime minister has so far pledged to avoid that option in favor of negotiations, but has not ruled it out.
If the government bypasses parliament, the opposition could file a motion of no confidence, a risky scenario for Lecornu, who lacks a majority in the lower house and could face the same fate as his two immediate predecessors, both of whom were forced out after losing confidence votes. EFE
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