French MPs reject 2027 budget revenue plan 458–0

France's National Assembly rejected the revenue section of the 2027 budget on Wednesday, with 458 MPs voting against, none in favor and two abstaining, RFI reported on Nov. 5.

The vote derailed the lower house's first review of a plan to cut the public deficit to 5% of GDP in 2027 from a projected 5.4% this year, while Public Accounts Minister David Amiel warned the amended text would have lifted the gap to 5.9%.

The rejection sends the budget to the Senate in the government's original version, RFI reported. It also stopped MPs from debating spending provisions, which had already been rejected in committee.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's office, known as Matignon, said talks would resume in December after senators examine the government's proposals. "The time for compromise will come after the Senate's reading," Matignon said.

Matignon said any agreement would rest on the government's initial draft and the version adopted by the Senate. The original budget proposed about €43 billion in savings to help narrow the deficit.

The vote followed about 10 days of revisions in which MPs removed several central parts of the government's fiscal plan. RFI reported that lawmakers scrapped proposed savings affecting pensioners and local authorities, along with a surtax on profits at large companies.

Amiel accused opposition parties of undermining efforts to restore France's public finances. National Rally MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy said the government was solely responsible for drafting a budget it could not balance.

Éric Coquerel, the France Unbowed lawmaker who chairs the Assembly's finance committee, also opposed the proposal. "This budget fails to meet the needs of the population and makes worse what it is supposed to improve: the deficit," he said.

Laurent Marcangeli, leader of the centrist Horizons party, said the legislation had been "completely distorted" and called for a more responsible approach in light of the deteriorating economic outlook, RFI reported.

The standoff mirrors last year's budget deadlock and leaves Lecornu's government trying to pass a fiscal package through a deeply divided parliament. Once the Senate completes its examination, the legislation will return to the National Assembly for further debate.

If no compromise emerges, Lecornu could use Article 49.3 of the Constitution, a procedure that lets the government pass legislation without a parliamentary vote unless MPs adopt a no-confidence motion. RFI reported that such a move would carry risks because the government would need to avoid being brought down by an opposition coalition.

Another option would be adopting the budget by ordinance if constitutional deadlines expire. RFI reported that the procedure would be unprecedented and would restrict the government's room for manoeuvre.

Budget timetable

The first check is the Senate review before December talks. Senators will examine the government's original proposals, and Matignon has said the later compromise effort will be based on that text and the Senate's version.

The second is whether negotiations resume in December as Lecornu's office said. That round will test whether the government can rebuild support after MPs from across the political spectrum rejected the revenue section.

The third is the pressure to reach agreement before the end of the year. RFI reported that parties face renewed pressure to avoid another government crisis as the budget returns from the Senate to the Assembly.