Parliamentary Impasse Over Key Legislation
French deputies and senators have failed to reach an agreement on the 2025 Social Security budget during a joint committee session held on Wednesday, November 26. The deadlock, centered around the suspension of pension reforms, means the legislation now returns to the National Assembly for further deliberation.
Political Stalemate Deepens
The failure of the joint parliamentary committee (CMP) came just hours after the Senate had approved its own version of the budget with 196 votes against 119. The seven deputies and seven senators involved in negotiations acknowledged their fundamental disagreements within less than an hour of discussions.
Thibault Bazin, the bill’s rapporteur in the Assembly from the Republicans party, attempted to downplay the significance of the failure, stating: “This was only the first reading,” while suggesting there might still be “a path forward” during the next reading.
Critical Week Ahead for Government
The parliamentary process now enters a decisive week, with the Senate’s version of the Social Security budget scheduled for rewriting in the National Assembly. Debates are set to begin in committee on Saturday and move to the full chamber starting Tuesday, continuing through December 7.
The government’s success hinges on securing support from Socialist deputies, who have thus far avoided censuring Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government in exchange for the suspension of pension reforms.
Complex Political Calculations
Socialist deputy Jérôme Guedj characterized the situation as “compromise being a combat sport.” Government allies hope Socialists will actively vote for the budget rather than simply abstaining, counting on sufficient support from Green and Communist deputies to overcome opposition from France Unbowed and the National Rally parties.
However, even potential Socialist support might not guarantee passage if Horizons and Republican deputies, angered by concessions to the left, choose to abstain or vote against the measure. Frédéric Valletoux of Horizons warned: “A budget that includes both the suspension of pension reform, no structural reforms, and a spiraling deficit is clearly a budget we cannot support.”
Substantive Divisions
Key points of contention include:
- Reinstatement of the suspended pension reform rejected by the Senate
- Restoration of increased CSG contributions on capital income, projected to generate €2.8 billion in 2026
- Controversial government savings measures including a supplementary tax on mutual insurance and freezing social benefits and pensions
Financial and Political Stakes
The government aims to reduce the Social Security deficit to a maximum of €20 billion, compared to €24 billion in the Assembly’s version and €17.6 billion in the Senate’s calculations. Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou warned senators that failure to pass a budget “would inevitably lead to a €29 billion deficit, creating conditions for a major liquidity crisis.”
Politically, the government hopes that securing the Social Security budget would create positive momentum for the even more challenging state budget. As one minister noted: “If you pass the [Social Security budget], you’ve covered half the distance… this is absolutely major.”
The sensitivity of the debate extends beyond Parliament, with liberal doctors’ unions calling for a strike beginning January 5.
