The key facts

  • French Economy Minister Roland Lescure warned that without budget consolidation the country would 'hit a wall'
  • According to him, the French economy is in stagnation: no growth for three consecutive quarters
  • Between 1,000 and 1,500 businesses 'were genuinely affected by vandalism'; 400 applications for interest-free loans have been received

Minister's warning amid the absence of a budget

French Economy Minister Roland Lescure warned on Friday that without budget consolidation the country would 'hit a wall'. In an interview with Franceinfo he called the adoption of the budget 'absolutely necessary' to return the economy to a growth trajectory and reassure investors, while stressing: 'France is not heading toward a crisis.' According to him, growth has been absent for three consecutive quarters, and the economy in 2026 is 'in a state of stagnation' (as reported by Anadolu).

Mechanisms in case parliament refuses

Lescure described Article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the government to pass legislation without a full vote of deputies under certain conditions, along with government ordinances, as 'safety mechanisms' — ways to guarantee the existence of a budget if parliamentary approval proves impossible. Thus, the government has signaled in advance its fallback options for passing the budget outside the ordinary parliamentary procedure.

Support for businesses hit by vandalism

A separate topic was the damage to businesses from vandalism. According to the minister, between 1,000 and 1,500 businesses 'were genuinely affected by the riots,' while about 3,000 were 'touched,' though not necessarily subjected to vandalism. Some 400 applications have already been received for interest-free loans for affected companies. Lescure stated: 'We are on the side of business owners,' and said that on Friday he would visit affected businesses in Bordeaux.