French Senate Vows to Reinstate 2023 Pension Reform if National Assembly Suspends It

On October 25, Gérard Larcher, President of the French Senate and member of Les Républicains, firmly declared that the Senate would reinstate the controversial 2023 pension reform if the National Assembly votes to suspend it during the 2026 Social Security budget debates. Despite a likely suspension vote in the Assembly, which has secured this right through an agreement with socialists who agreed not to censure the government, the Senate—dominated by right-wing and centrist parties—opposes halting the reform.

Larcher warned that abandoning the reform could create a 30 billion euro deficit by 2035, underlining the significant fiscal implications. He criticized Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's approach for focusing excessively on negotiations with socialists, which led to the government foregoing the use of article 49.3 that allows bypassing parliament for budget approval.

The Senate has been preparing a Social Security budget proposal since May that demands 32.5 billion euros in savings, a figure Larcher considers essential given the financial challenges. He also condemned the budget presented by Lecornu as unacceptable and called for deeper public spending cuts.

Political tensions remain high as the government contends with conflicting demands from multiple groups within the National Assembly. Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist Party, reminded that the Assembly ultimately holds authority over the budget and reforms. The debates on the 2026 Social Security budget are expected to be complex and contentious as they begin in the Assembly commission this week.

Overall, this standoff highlights the Senate's determination to uphold the pension reform despite opposition in the National Assembly, emphasizing the critical budgetary stakes associated with pension policy reforms in France.