French Prime Minister Unveils Drastic Spending Cuts Amid Growing Outrage
Last month, during a two-hour press conference branded as “a moment of truth,” the French prime minister announced plans for substantial public spending reductions set for 2026, reports 24brussels.
The proposed measures include eliminating two of France’s 11 public holidays, reducing the civil servant workforce, and freezing welfare payments, such as pensions, which are usually adjusted for inflation each year.
The initiative has sparked significant backlash from both the far-right National Rally and left-wing opposition parties, who threaten to destabilize the government during the impending budget vote this fall.
Despite the criticism, Bayrou remains determined to persuade the electorate that these cuts are in their best interest.
“When you’re forced to borrow — not to buy a house, an apartment, home furnishings or to buy a car, but simply to pay for everyday expenses — when you’re forced to borrow and you can’t pay it back without going every month to the bank to ask for an additional loan which is more and more expensive — that is called over-indebtedness,” Bayrou explained.
The government aims to reduce France’s deficit — the gap between government expenditure and tax revenue — from 5.8 percent of GDP last year to 4.6 percent in 2026. Over the coming months, the administration’s focus will be on garnering support for these stringent measures while navigating the political landscape characterized by increasing dissent.
