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Lecornu Pivots to 'Small Steps' Talks to Break France's 2026 Budget Stalemate

He will convene every parliamentary group for closed-door negotiations to assemble a transitional budget.

Overview

  • The prime minister says he is ready to pursue a strategy of incremental compromises to secure a 2026 transition budget without an absolute majority.
  • Ministers have been tasked with meeting each party’s budget leads out of the spotlight to set shared principles, prioritizing spending before revenues.
  • Debates resume Monday, November 3, with the revenue section in the morning, then shift Tuesday to the social security budget, with the second reading billed as the moment of truth.
  • The Assembly’s fractures were laid bare as deputies rejected the so-called Zucman tax and, in a cross-party vote, backed a MoDem proposal for a tax on unproductive wealth against the government’s position.
  • Lecornu acknowledges the real risk of a censure vote, as the government signals potential moves on hospital funding and pensions and floats a possible CSG increase on wealth.