The Senate on Sunday largely rejected the creation of a “French Health network”, a measure proposed by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to improve access to health services in the region, but condemned as an empty effort by many senators.
The upper chamber has been reviewing the draft 2026 Social Security budget for several days. But a vote on the measure is far from final, as debate will continue between the Senate and the Assembly. The latter had adopted the device at the first reading.
Sébastien Lecornu announced the launch of the French Santé center during his first trip as head of government. The network should be based on existing structures, such as puskesmas (where salaried doctors work) or puskesmas (private doctors).
5,000 homes by 2027
The structure could receive the “France Santé” label, as well as a package of around 50,000 euros intended for example to employ “additional nurses or secretaries”, said Health Minister Stéphanie Rist.
He defended the move which should make it possible to “showcase what the professionals have done, without having to create new structures”. “We are not creating something new, we are giving visibility to what has already been done,” he stressed.
The government is planning around 130 million euros for the system, and Sébastien Lecornu has set a target of 2,000 France Santé centers “by the summer of 2026” and 5,000 “by 2027”.
“The France Santé nameplate is a bit expensive,” said communist senator Céline Brulin. Referring to “gadgets”, he suggested the money would be better spent “creating a health center”.
Contested package
“When we are in a medical desert, we don’t need to have a sign of France Santé to know that there is a practice there,” added Émilienne Poumirol (PS).
The amendment stripping the article of its substance, carried out in particular by Corinne Imbert (LR), was widely adopted (302 votes to 35).
This label, “it’s more about communication”, says Corinne Imbert, worrying about the “windfall effect” associated with the 50,000 euro package, but also about the fate of the buildings that will not get the label. “I don’t want them to become invisible,” he stressed.
Obtaining the label is subject to conditions: guaranteed presence of doctors and nurses, no excesses, open at least five days a week… With the promise to provide a full range of services “within 48 hours and 30 minutes” to every French person.
