The upcoming budget has increased uncertainty for businesses already worried about the country's economic situation. Businesses have not yet received all the details about the budget, which will be announced on Thursday, and this lack of clarity has made them more anxious about the economic future. Patrick Martin, president of the Medef, a major business group, told Franceinfo that "like all economic agents, including households, we do not know what we will be subjected to." Earlier, the Prime Minister wrote to French entrepreneurs, saying, "You cannot sustainably correct a country's accounts by breaking its economic engine." Sébastien Lecornu, a government minister, has committed to reducing the expected revenue from a tax increase on large companies, which was introduced as part of the 2025 budget and extended to 2026. The corporate tax surcharge is expected to be cut to five billion euros, down from 7.3 billion this year. He also promised more stability for programs that support apprenticeships, which had been heavily reduced in the 2026 budget. He confirmed that the Dutreil Pact, which allows a 75% discount on transferring a company to the children of the manager, would remain in place. He also introduced the idea of a "Papin Pact," named after SME Minister Serge Papin, which would make it easier to transfer a company to its employees from a fiscal standpoint. However, he was vague about other potential measures, saying, "There will be no new tax," while noting that certain tax or social benefits and business support programs could be reviewed. Support for businesses has become a significant topic in political discussions, especially after a Senate report last year estimated it at 211 billion euros annually. This figure has drawn criticism from business leaders, who question its accuracy. Sylvain Bersinger from Bersingéco said the government generally wants to avoid burdening businesses. However, Anthony Morlet-Lavidalie, an economist at Rexecode, a liberal-leaning think tank, suggested that keeping the tax surcharge at its current level might be part of a compromise with the Socialist Party to pass the budget in the National Assembly. He predicted the final cost could double to 10 billion euros. This would mean businesses would continue to be used as an "adjustment variable" for the budget for the third year in a row. He warned that "they do not vote, the population is currently in social crisis, not many people will likely raise their hand to say 'stop!'" Businesses now seem more concerned about the upcoming presidential elections, which are six and a half months away, than the budget itself. During the annual meetings of the U2P (Union of Local Businesses), its president Michel Picon did not mention the budget, instead presenting a set of proposals for businesses to submit to candidates. He painted a bleak picture of the French economy, citing rising fuel costs, declining education levels, weak growth, rising unemployment, high debt, business failures, and geopolitical tensions. He summarized, "You need an iron will not to be crushed." The GDP declined by 0.2% in the first quarter and stagnated in the second, prompting the government to lower its growth forecast to 0.5% for this year instead of the initial 1%. INSEE and the Bank of France expect growth to be even lower, at 0.4%. While Sylvain Bersinger said "it is not a catastrophe," he noted "there are swords of Damocles," such as the risk of an oil shock or the bursting of the AI bubble, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the presidential election. Patrick Martin, with a nuance in favor of the center bloc, observed that political discussions did not address these economic issues. He said, "It is a somewhat disconnected debate, which adds to our stress, we think 'but when will they finally realize the reality of the situation?'"