Prime Minister’s Office Announces 2026 Budget Freeze, Focus on AI in Education, and Upcoming rural transition Colloquium
PARIS – Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced a freeze on operational budgets for all services, administrations, and self-reliant administrative authorities under the purview of Matignon for the year 2026, with exceptions made only for defense and national security. The measure,detailed in a recent Prime Minister’s Office communiqué,also includes limitations on replacing departing personnel within affected services,restricted to “the strict minimum.”
This budgetary decision arrives alongside increased government attention to technological advancement in education and the critical role of rural areas in navigating France’s multifaceted transitions. The Labo société Numérique, a division of the ANCT, recently released a thorough dossier focused on integrating artificial intelligence into the education system, while the Senate is preparing to host a colloquium dedicated to the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities.
The dossier from the Labo Société Numérique provides resources for teachers and education staff to facilitate the “appropriation of artificial intelligence,” including the framework for AI usage published by the Ministry this summer, studies on teacher training, and analyses of digital tools for parent-teacher communication and broader educational applications.
Simultaneously occurring, the Senate’s delegation for local authorities and decentralization will convene a colloquium on October 9th titled “Ruralités et transitions.” The Senate emphasizes that while rural territories are often portrayed as victims of crises, they are, in fact, central to economic, demographic, climatic, energy, social, and cultural shifts-and are often at the forefront of developing innovative solutions. The colloquium aims to objectively assess the challenges faced by rural areas while highlighting their pivotal role in France’s future.
