Overview

• Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he will not use Article 49.3 to pass the 2026 budget, breaking with the practice that pushed through all budgets since 2022.
• La France insoumise plans to file a censure motion once the new government is named, while the Socialist Party welcomes the procedural shift but demands guarantees including a vote on the 2023 pensions reform.
• Marine Le Pen called the decision more respectful of democracy and withheld judgment until the prime minister’s policy speech early next week.
• During consultations, Lecornu floated limited concessions such as a measure on purchasing power, a tax on financial wealth, and adjustments on pension hardship and women’s careers, which opponents deemed insufficient.
• Analysts note the executive could still steer the process using tools like Articles 40 and 44, the Senate’s role, or even ordinances if talks stall, as Lecornu moves to form his cabinet and open parliamentary budget debates next week.