Overview

• To keep the 2026 finance law on track for Jan. 1, the draft must be presented in the Council of Ministers by Monday, Oct. 13, then sent immediately to Parliament.
• The Constitution allows 70 days of parliamentary scrutiny plus eight days for Constitutional Council review, leaving no slack if the filing slips past Monday.
• Emmanuel Macron is expected to appoint a prime minister by Friday, and outgoing premier Sébastien Lecornu is urging an immediate deposit of the finance texts.
• If timing fails, options include adopting only the budget’s first part, introducing a special law before Dec. 19 to continue tax collection, or using ordinances if delay is deemed parliamentary.
• France began 2025 under a special law after the Barnier government fell, and warnings persist that failure to pass the Social Security budget could disrupt benefits and public pay; reporting also points to possible tax shifts and a 5% deficit in the draft still being finalized.