Overview
- An extraordinary Council of Ministers is set for Monday, after which Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will announce whether he will force the budget via article 49.3 or use ordonnances.
- If 49.3 is chosen, the government expects a staged sequence starting as early as Tuesday on revenues, then spending, with a final reading after the Senate and possible promulgation by mid‑February if censure efforts fail.
- Socialist group leader Boris Vallaud said a non‑censure is conceivable given recent changes, while LFI and the RN plan to file motions of censure throughout the process.
- The final package keeps a surtax on profits of roughly 300 very large firms expected to raise about €8 billion in 2026 and drops a planned cut to the CVAE, as Lecornu pledged stable corporate tax rules in a letter to business leaders.
- Concessions to bolster support include a higher prime d’activité and €1 student meals, and ministers argue 49.3 is safer than unprecedented ordonnances, which could enact the budget without a parliamentary vote but pose significant political and constitutional risks.