French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu secured a notable political victory on Tuesday when the National Assembly approved next year’s social security budget by a narrow margin of just 13 votes. This crucial step, although still pending a vote in the French Senate, marks a significant achievement for Lecornu’s minority government and alleviates some concerns within financial markets regarding France’s escalating budget deficit.
Support and Challenges Ahead
Following the vote, Lecornu expressed gratitude to lawmakers, commending their “responsibility” in endorsing the legislation. He emphasized the importance of cooperation, stating,
“Making compromises is not a slogan, it means moving forward for the common good,”
in a post shared on X.
The outcome of the vote was anticipated to be closely contested, with apprehensions that the government might have lost crucial support from centrist and conservative factions. These groups expressed concerns that the proposed budget did not sufficiently address the rising budget deficit, projected to reach a staggering 5.4 percent of the gross domestic product this year. However, all 91 lawmakers from French President Emmanuel Macron’s party, Renaissance, lent their support to the bill, while many from the conservative Les Républicains either abstained or voted in favor.
Political Dynamics at Play
The vote also underscored a divide between the government and Edouard Philippe, Macron’s first prime minister, who is positioning himself for the 2027 presidential election. Philippe criticized the bill for its perceived inadequacies in addressing the deficit. Despite their historical alliance with Macron, the majority of lawmakers from Philippe’s smaller center-right party abstained.
On the fringes of the political spectrum, both the far-right National Rally and the far-left France Unbowed voiced their opposition to the social security bill, highlighting the deep-seated ideological divides within French politics.
Lecornu’s success in this vote reinforces his strategy of seeking compromises in an increasingly fragmented parliament. Earlier in October, he dismissed the idea of using constitutional mechanisms to bypass votes for political survival, opting instead for prolonged parliamentary discussions in hopes of reaching an agreement.
Had this legislation been rejected, Lecornu’s position could have been jeopardized, forcing President Macron to contemplate appointing a sixth prime minister within two years or triggering a snap election that might empower the far-right National Rally.
Nonetheless, Lecornu’s time to celebrate this victory will be brief, as he now faces the challenges surrounding the state budget, a separate legislative matter that has proven to be even more contentious. In a previous vote on part of the state budget, only one lawmaker from the 577-member National Assembly supported the proposal.
“It will be difficult. Possibly even more than these last couple of weeks,” Lecornu noted on X, indicating the complexities that lie ahead.