French Government Moves to Include Suspension of Pension Reform in 2026 Social Security Budget Amidst Intense Parliamentary Debate

As France confronts heated debates over the 2026 budget, the government is set to formally include the suspension of the contentious pension reform within the Social Security financing bill. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu revealed that a rectifying letter addressing this suspension will be adopted during a Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 23. This move aims to reassure opposition parties by officially reflecting proposed delays to both the legal retirement age increase and the number of required contribution quarters.

President Emmanuel Macron, however, has publicly rejected the term "suspension," describing the government’s stance as a mere "delay" in implementing the reform. Meanwhile, opposition voices, including Marine Le Pen, are pressing the government to fully suspend pension changes, turning the issue into a key political battleground.

The discussion comes within the broader context of budgetary debates focused on tax policies and purchasing power measures. Around the National Assembly, dozens of amendments to the budget have been adopted, including proposals targeting tax brackets and fiscal niches to protect lower and middle-income earners. Amélie de Montchalin highlighted that certain measures, such as freezing income tax brackets, offer minor relief to a few hundred thousand households while wealthier households face increased fiscal obligations.

The National Rally, represented by vice-president Sébastien Chenu, has vigorously opposed leftist tax proposals like the Zucman tax, which aimed to impose a 2% minimum tax on fortunes exceeding 100 million euros but was rejected in committee. Chenu criticized these left-wing fiscal measures as "dingueries" that could "tear France apart" and expressed frustration with Macronist deputies accused of procedural obstruction. The RN also supports specific targeted universal tax amendments on high-income earners relocating to low-tax countries but firmly demands the pension reform's suspension within the Social Security budget.

With tight constitutional deadlines pressing, parliamentary dynamics remain fraught ahead of the budget law vote, as all sides jockey over fiscal priorities and the future of pension reform.