Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu at the Assemblée Nationale in Paris on December 17, 2025. JULIEN MUGUET / HANS LUCAS
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had intended to dedicate Friday, December 19, to urgent issues in the agricultural sector and meetings with union representatives. Yet, the turmoil of the budget debate once again upended priorities.
The two lead budget rapporteurs, Jean-François Husson and Philippe Juvin (Les Républicains, right wing), arrived at the prime minister's residence looking serious before journalists on Friday, shortly before 10 am. Just one hour after the start of a joint committee bringing together seven senators and seven MPs, they acknowledged the failure of negotiations on the 2026 budget bill. "We were ready for a compromise, but there was no guarantee that the bill would receive a positive vote from both the Assemblée Nationale and the Sénat," said Philippe Juvin, Les Républicains MP.
The announcement carried heavy consequences: For the second year in a row, the government would fail to provide France with a budget within the timeframe required by the Constitution. Parliamentary discussions would continue beyond December 31, forcing the government to rely on a special law to ensure continuity of the state.
