French PM wins crucial budget vote

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu secured a crucial victory on Tuesday as the National Assembly approved the 2026 social security budget bill. The vote was a key test for Lecornu, appointed in September, as failure would have weakened his position ahead of the main budget vote later this year. The bill passed by a narrow margin of 247 to 234 in a divided parliament where no single bloc holds a majority. To gain support, particularly from the Socialist Party, Lecornu made concessions, including suspending Macron's retirement age increase and promising not to bypass a parliamentary vote on the budget. The approved bill will now proceed to the Senate before a final vote in the Assembly.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu faces a critical parliamentary vote on a major social security budget bill in the National Assembly on December 9, 2025. Lecornu, lacking a parliamentary majority, has offered concessions to the Socialist Party, including suspending President Macron's pension reform, to secure support. Rejection of the bill could trigger a political crisis and a 30 billion euro funding gap for social services. While the Socialists may back the bill, the far-right, hard-left, and some right-wing parties oppose it, arguing the concessions undermine previous commitments. The vote is a vital test for Lecornu's premiership and the country's 2026 budget.