Parliament begins heated debate on 2027 French budget amid looming election

On Tuesday, the French National Assembly launched a public examination of the 2027 finance bill, a draft the government introduced in a recent cabinet meeting. Opposition Socialists announced they will table a pre-debate motion of rejection, arguing the plan shows no sign of policy change. To meet a target deficit of 5% in 2027, the budget proposes savings through higher taxes and a freeze on certain public-sector wages, while limiting health-spending growth.

Retirees, local governments and civil servants are expected to bear part of the burden. Ecologists have pledged to vote against the bill, labeling it intolerable, and the Rassemblement national has also presented a counter-budget, calling the government's plan inefficient and unfair. The debate unfolds less than seven months before the presidential election, raising the stakes for all parties.