Overview
- The statutory adjustment takes effect on 1 January 2026, setting the minimum wage at €1,823.03 gross per month, or €12.02 per hour.
- The government declined any discretionary increase, applying the legal formula tied to low‑income inflation and half the gain in average hourly wages, with no extra supplement granted since 2012.
- About 2.2 million private‑sector workers—roughly 12.4%—are paid the minimum wage, according to Labour Ministry data.
- An independent expert group had urged against an additional rise and had projected an increase of around 1.4%, above the 1.18% now confirmed.
- Unions including the CGT, CFDT and CFTC criticized the decision as insufficient, warning it entrenches worker precarity and pressing for stronger pay measures.