French Senate Rejects 2026 Social Security Financing Bill, Paving Way for Final Assembly Vote

The French Senate decisively rejected the 2026 Social Security financing bill (PLFSS) on December 12, 2025, with a vote of 182 against to 106 in favor, using a procedural mechanism to avoid further debate. This rejection follows the bill's narrow adoption three days earlier by the National Assembly, which passed the bill by only 13 votes.

Senators from right and center-right groups, including Les Républicains and Union centriste, staged an immediate dismissal of the bill, citing fundamental disagreements with key provisions. Central issues include the suspension of pension reform until early 2028, the removal of a freeze on benefit increases, and hikes in social contributions, such as the CSG on some capital income. Senator Élisabeth Doineau described further discussion as pointless given these "insurmountable" disagreements.

The government-appointed Minister of Public Accounts, Amélie de Montchalin, praised the deputies’ amended bill as a "text of compromise" that restores the spirit of parliamentary cooperation established since Social Security’s creation in 1945, countering criticisms from Senate Republicans like Bruno Retailleau who labeled it a "fiscal hold-up." Meanwhile, critics within the Senate, including Élisabeth Doineau and Alain Milon, criticized the bill for prioritizing revenue increases over necessary spending cuts.

Following the Senate’s rejection, the PLFSS will return to the National Assembly for a final reading scheduled for December 16, where the government faces uncertainty due to the slim margin of prior approval and potential shifts in deputies’ votes after the weekend. A failure to pass the bill could destabilize the government, while adoption would lead to the bill's implementation and continuation of the pension reform suspension.

This procedural maneuver in the Senate reflects deep political divisions over France’s social security funding strategy amid broader debates on public finances and pension policy reform.