French premier urges ministers to freeze non-defence spending for 2027 budget

Facing a weakened worldwide economic outlook, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu sent a memorandum to his ministers urging them to keep non-defence state spending in the 2027 budget strictly equal to the 2026 level. He said the decision reopens the so-called “lettres-plafonds” to generate an extra fiscal effort. Lecornu argued that this restraint is needed to maintain room for parliamentary discussion, to cope with higher energy prices affecting businesses and households, and to offset the impact of rising debt-service costs.

He also highlighted the importance of protecting France’s fiscal credibility while preserving policy freedom for future governments. The minister urged colleagues to seek consensus and avoid pre-determined scenarios for passing the budget.