Politics France's new government under pressure in budget debate
Just one week after surviving a vote of no confidence, France's new government is already coming under pressure again. At the start of difficult budget deliberations, the Socialists demanded that Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu introduce a tax on the rich as well as higher taxes on large technology companies and large inheritances. Otherwise, they would withdraw their support for the center-right government, said Socialist leader Olivier Fore in an interview on BFMTV.
24.10.2025, 17:54
SDA
The Socialists had not joined the opposition's vote of no confidence last week after the prime minister had promised to suspend President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform. The Socialist leader has now emphasized that Lecornu must make significant changes to his draft budget by Monday, "otherwise it's really over".
France must make savings
At the start of the budget debate in the National Assembly, Lecornu said that France's budget deficit should be reduced to less than 5 percent in 2026 after 5.8 percent last year and an expected 5.4 percent this year. France is heavily in debt and the European Union has already opened an excessive deficit procedure against France in 2024. Lecornu's draft budget envisages savings of around 30 billion euros.
It is not clear whether the divided parliament will be able to agree on a common line for an austerity budget. Lecornu has promised that he will not push the budget through parliament without a vote using a special regulation that exists in France, but has called on the MPs to work out a compromise.
