France Passes Welfare Budget Law, Giving Government Rare Win

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Catherine PorterDecember 16, 2025 at 11:09 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In December 2025, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu achieved a rare victory by passing a new welfare budget law in the National Assembly. This success comes after a turbulent year in French politics, which saw three prime ministers, including Lecornu himself, step down. The budget's approval, by a vote of 247 to 232, is significant because no single party holds a majority in Parliament, making consensus difficult. Lecornu secured the budget's passage by agreeing to suspend President Macron's controversial pension reform. While the budget's approval provides political stability for Macron's government, it remains to be seen whether this compromise signals a new era of political cooperation in France. Lecornu's government faces another test with an upcoming bill to set the national.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Emmanuel Macron ×280% Sébastien Lecornu ×4100% France ×3100%

Keywords

welfare budget 90% french politics 80% parliamentary culture 70% social security system 60% budget legislation 60% national assembly 50% political consensus 50% pension reform 50% political compromise 40%