The key facts

  • The 2027 budget's revenue portion was rejected with 458 votes against, two abstentions, and zero votes in favor
  • Consideration of the bill at first reading has been halted; the original draft has been sent to the Senate
  • Minister David Amiel said the amendments would push the deficit to 5.9% of GDP against the government's target of 5%

Rejected without a single vote in favor

The French National Assembly on Wednesday rejected the revenue portion of the 2027 state budget draft, with not a single deputy voting in favor: 458 against, two abstentions, Anadolu reports citing the BFMTV television channel. Deputies from all parliamentary groups voted against.

What the rejection means procedurally

The rejection halted consideration of the entire bill in the lower chamber at first reading: debates on the expenditure portion, already rejected in committee, did not take place. The government's original draft will now be sent to the Senate. The Prime Minister's office said that negotiations on a compromise would take place after consideration in the upper chamber and pointed to a possible agreement in December based on the government's original proposal and the version adopted by senators.

The deficit and the fate of government measures

Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin — no, Minister David Amiel — criticized the amendments adopted during parliamentary debates: according to him, they would push the deficit to 5.9% of GDP against the government's target of 5%. The original draft envisaged reducing the deficit from an expected 5.4% this year through savings of about €43 billion, but weaker-than-expected economic growth raised doubts about achieving this goal. Over ten days of debates, deputies removed a number of government measures, including changes to tax breaks for pensioners, savings on local authorities, and a surcharge on the profits of large companies. Horizons faction leader Laurent Marcangeli called the text 'completely distorted,' while Finance Committee chairman Éric Coquerel from La France Insoumise stated that the budget 'does not meet the needs of the population and fails, worsening what it is supposed to improve: the deficit.' The rejection came against the backdrop of heightened social tensions: on Thursday, trade unions, students, and the 'yellow vests' planned to join nationwide demonstrations against the rising cost of living.