French Parliament Faces Deadlock and Delay in Passing 2026 Budget Amid Opposition Resistance

On November 21, 2025, the French National Assembly nearly concluded the review of the first part of the 2026 budget bill, but significant political deadlock threatens timely approval. Lawmakers expedited discussions to avoid late sessions, with fewer than 100 amendments left by the evening. Yet, opposition parties have largely indicated intentions to oppose or abstain, casting doubt on the budget's passage before Christmas. The Senate has declared it cannot vote on the budget before December 15, further complicating the timeline for approval.

The budget must also comply with constitutional deadlines: the finance bill (PLF) requires a vote by December 23, while the social security financing bill (PLFSS) must be approved by December 12. With the Senate's delayed schedule and ongoing disagreements, the chambers face extremely tight windows to reconcile differences through a mixed committee or further readings. This gridlock raises the possibility of fallback options.

Among the challenges, recent Assembly debates signal that the revenue part of the finance bill may face unanimous rejection, which would result in discarding all amendments made during a month-long examination. Key proposed measures such as a wealth tax on unproductive assets, increased taxes on multinational corporations including GAFAM, and higher taxes on secondary residences would be shelved. The original version of the bill from mid-October would then proceed to the Senate.

Given the legislative impasse, the government may choose between passing a special finance law before December 19 to extend the current budget into early 2026, allowing for extended parliamentary review, or adopting the budget via government ordinances—an approach resisted by Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Minister of Relations with Parliament Laurent Panifous emphasized that the government prefers a voted budget and would rather resort to a special law than controversial measures like invoking article 49.3.

With parliament yet to vote on crucial financial legislation and the constitutional clock ticking, France confronts an uncertain budgetary future as 2025 nears its end.