2026 Budget Debate Begins: Rapporteur โคJuvin Calls for Spending Cuts and Increased Productivity
PARIS – as โคthe 2026 Social โSecurity budget arrives at the National Assembly today, debate is intensifying over FranceS fiscal path. General budget rapporteur Philippe Juvin, speaking on Europe โค1 this Tuesday morning, warned that the current lack of a parliamentary majority increases the likelihood of the budgetโ being rejected, potentially forcing โขthe government to enact a special law to govern spending for the โขnext year.
The looming budget battle comes as France grapples with rising compulsoryโ contributions – taxes and duties – which have climbed fromโข 43% to overโ 45% of GDP. Juvin, a deputy โfor Hauts-de-Seine, arguesโฃ against further tax โincreases, instead advocating for a two-pronged approach:โข reducing โgovernment spending and boosting national productivityโ through increased work. This debate โขunfolds against a backdrop of demographic โshifts and evolving societalโ needs, especially concerning healthcare and education.
Juvin highlighted what he sees as misallocated resources within the proposedโ budget, specifically questioning the planned increase in civil servant positions in National Education at a time when student enrollment is declining and classes are โคbeing closed.He suggested prioritizing staffing increases in nursing homesโ to address the growing needs of an aging population, a point echoed in a recent Le Figaro report on the strain on France’s elder care system.
“We have room for maneuver,” Juvin stated, emphasizing the need for fiscal duty.โข The coming weeks will โbeโฃ critical as lawmakers attempt to navigate theseโข competing priorities and reach a consensus on a budget that addresses both immediate economic challenges โand long-termโข societal demands.
