This vote is not at all surprising. However, this book has not yet been published. At nearly 2 p.m. from Friday to Saturday, and in continuous fanfare, deputies overwhelmingly rejected the revenue section of the 2026 Finance Bill. For the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, it is possible that no elected official will support the text. Only one person ultimately chose him, Liot Harold Huwart. In the hemicycle, 404 deputies voted against and 84 abstained.
This rejection is inevitable, but it still leaves some traces. The first consequence: the debate stopped abruptly in the National Assembly and the text went straight to the Senate, in its initial version. It was as if the deputies’ work, the 125 hours spent debating in recent weeks – an absolute record for a budget text since 1958 – had been in vain. Special mention goes to the general budget rapporteur, Philippe Juvin (LR), who preferred to sleep in the Assembly after the evening session, even though he lives only 30 minutes from the Palais-Bourbon.
The Prime Minister has prepared the public’s mind for this setback, trying to minimize its impact on his interlocutor. Mass was held on Monday evening, when representatives of the joint base confirmed their decision not to vote for this budget.
Copies deemed “insincere” by the government
This Friday afternoon, Sébastien Lecornu is still bringing together the heads of groups from the common base in the Assembly and Senate. An “unprecedented” format, according to those around him, “halfway through the budget process,” “at a crossroads.” The challenge is no longer to get positive results from the examination carried out at the first reading of the PLF in the Assembly, but to prepare for its continuation, which is greater uncertainty than before.
In fact, in a hemicycle, the government’s desired compromise effort quickly turns into a tax fair. With, as main animators, said Matignon, the deputies of France Insoumise and National Rally. Two extremes make “the copy insincere.” And therefore, it cannot be elected by almost all deputies. Especially since October 29, when national representatives voted to increase the minimum tax base on multinational companies, on the initiative of the LFI, which has the support of the RN.
A new tax amendment of 26 billion, which immediately threw the central bloc into chaos. At the end of the discussion, the 2026 APBN on paper will reduce the deficit to 4.1%. Unless the government identifies three actions that are potentially in conflict with the constitution, European law or international tax conventions. Without them, the deficit would increase to 5.3%…
“We gave birth to a deformed child,” lamented an Ensemble Pour la République lawmaker this week, who stepped out for a breath of fresh air and nicotine. A group leader from the central bloc, in a similar vein, spoke of a text that had become “very orphaned” when Philippe Juvin, at the podium on Friday evening, denounced a text that was “unworkable”.
“Negotiations until the end of the year”
However, for weeks, the socialists tried to reach a compromise. An increase in corporate taxes, a re-indexation of the income tax scale or even a doubling of taxes on digital giants have not changed the balance. “We have not achieved progress in the PLF, because of the dogmatism of the common base,” one of the pillars of the pink party told Le Parisien. The rejection of revenue shares should be seen as a warning. When there is no majority for anyone, compromise must be accepted. »
This “warning” did not make all MPs as calm as Sébastien Lecornu. “A very clear refusal could affect the continuation of the discussion,” worried a representative of the group, Gabriel Attal. At some point, it’s hard not to draw conclusions from results like that. »
However, the term of office of the Prime Minister (yet?) has not yet been determined. Several prominent socialist sources provide confidence at this stage. “Negotiations are ongoing until the end of the year,” a powerful elected official promised. Within the PS, we hope that there will be a proper vote on the social security budget or, in the worst case, the government will adopt legislation to guarantee the suspension of pension reform.
Regarding the Finance Bill, the possible implementation of a special law that would initially update the 2025 budget, is unlikely to end the continuation of negotiations. “The special law does not exhaust the budget debate because it is a temporary law to avoid closure. Discussions will continue. If there are no problems, we will continue. If not, we will stop. »
