France has dodged a potentially catastrophic no-confidence vote, passing its 2026 budget after two motions failed to oust the government. The legislation, which includes a $7.6 million military spending boost, aims to slash the deficit to 5 percent by the end of next year.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's minority government had been struggling to secure a consensus on the budget, with negotiations lasting nearly two years and triggering no-confidence motions from both left-wing and far-right groups.
The budget, which was adopted after four months of deadlock, includes higher taxes for some businesses, expected to bring in around $8.6 billion in 2026. However, it also boosts military spending by a significant margin, a move that Lecornu described as the "heart" of the budget.
The Socialists won several key concessions, including a one-euro meal for students and an increase in a top-up payment for low-income workers. But their efforts to introduce a wealth tax on the superrich were unsuccessful.
Lecornu hailed the budget as a success, saying it made clear choices and addressed essential priorities without raising taxes for households and businesses. The move may bring some relief to the French government, which had been struggling to navigate a fragile political landscape.
The European Union has long pressured France to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio, which is currently close to twice the EU's 60-percent ceiling. With this budget, Lecornu's government has taken steps to address these concerns and move closer to meeting the bloc's targets.
For now, at least, France appears to have avoided a major crisis. The question remains whether the government can sustain its momentum in the coming months and avoid further instability.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's minority government had been struggling to secure a consensus on the budget, with negotiations lasting nearly two years and triggering no-confidence motions from both left-wing and far-right groups.
The budget, which was adopted after four months of deadlock, includes higher taxes for some businesses, expected to bring in around $8.6 billion in 2026. However, it also boosts military spending by a significant margin, a move that Lecornu described as the "heart" of the budget.
The Socialists won several key concessions, including a one-euro meal for students and an increase in a top-up payment for low-income workers. But their efforts to introduce a wealth tax on the superrich were unsuccessful.
Lecornu hailed the budget as a success, saying it made clear choices and addressed essential priorities without raising taxes for households and businesses. The move may bring some relief to the French government, which had been struggling to navigate a fragile political landscape.
The European Union has long pressured France to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio, which is currently close to twice the EU's 60-percent ceiling. With this budget, Lecornu's government has taken steps to address these concerns and move closer to meeting the bloc's targets.
For now, at least, France appears to have avoided a major crisis. The question remains whether the government can sustain its momentum in the coming months and avoid further instability.
is that really necessary? feels like they're just trying to keep up with EU pressure 
and not really thinking about what's best for the country. i mean, wouldn't it be awesome if they used some of that cash to solve actual problems like homelessness or education 
? also, $8.6 billion in taxes is a lot, especially for small businesses 
. hope they can find a way to make this budget work without hurting too many people 
and it made me think of my own doggy, Luna... anyway back to this news... $7.6 million military spending boost? like what's going on in france right now lol? i thought they were all about saving money and stuff... how did the budget come together after two years of negotiations? 
was it all just a big tea party?
, I mean, two years of negotiations is like, whoa 
! And the fact that they got some good stuff done like the one-euro meal for students is awesome 
, I guess that'll help out a lot. The military spending boost might be a bit suspicious though 
, but at least it's not as bad as I thought it'd be? The socialists got some sweet concessions too 
, like more money for low-income workers and all that jazz 
. But hey, at least they were able to make some concessions to the Socialists, like that one-euro meal thing - that's pretty cool 
.
?
. it's interesting to see how prime minister lecornu navigated these competing interests and came out with a budget that... well, didn't exactly spark widespread joy 
.
. france wants to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio, but how does that impact future generations? will they be burdened with these financial constraints for years to come? or are there other solutions that haven't been considered yet? 
! I remember when they first announced the plans for military spending boost, I thought to myself "oh no, this is gonna be a disaster" 
Those things add up! And I guess it's good they were able to meet some EU targets too, it's always a relief when governments can get on top of those things 
france is literally dodging bullets here! i mean, a $7.6 mil military spending boost on top of higher taxes for some businesses? it's like they're taking two steps forward and one step back 
but seriously, how did they manage to get everything together after nearly 2 yrs of negotiations? was it just luck or what 
, but how much is that actually going to cost the government?
.
no-confidence vote would've been a big deal for them, and i'm glad they were able to get this budget passed 
. Like, what's next? Are they gonna start investing in space exploration or something? 
Are they gonna be able to afford those higher taxes?
The budget looks pretty comprehensive, especially with that $7.6 million military boost - seems like a crucial move for Lecornu's government 
! It's been ages since they've had such a tough time navigating their budget 
.
. It's crazy how Lecornu was able to negotiate with the Socialists without giving in on everything they wanted, but still managed to bring home some wins for his party