France’s 2027 state budget, which will be debated in parliament amid a presidential transition, is already showing signs of fiscal restraint. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has implemented measures to reduce public spending, with the culture sector among those affected. The government has revised its economic forecasts, projecting growth of just 0.5% for the current year—down from earlier estimates of 1%, then 0.9%, and finally 0.7%. Inflation is expected to reach 2.1% this year. These figures have been influenced by climate-related challenges, including recent heatwaves, and the broader global geopolitical landscape, particularly the tensions involving former U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran. The government hopes for a more optimistic scenario by 2027, with growth at 1% and inflation stabilizing at 1.8%, but this remains uncertain due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The Ministry of Culture has experienced significant budget cuts, with 25 million euros in engagement authorizations and 20 million euros in payment credits canceled. The Heritage mission has been hit the hardest, followed by the missions focused on the Transmission of knowledge and democratization of culture and Creation. The Media, books and cultural industries mission has lost 2,135,903 euros in engagement authorizations, primarily in the "Press and media" program. These reductions are already affecting cultural agencies and regional book agencies, which are co-financed by the state. As a result, training and support activities for the cultural sector have been canceled or delayed. In June, the government introduced two decrees to adjust the budget, canceling 19.2 million euros in engagement authorizations and 19.9 million euros in payment credits for the Ministry of Culture. A second decree canceled an additional 18.9 million euros in engagement authorizations and 18.2 million euros in payment credits. Ahead of a government seminar on the budget, Prime Minister Lecornu informed all ministers that he had decided to "reopen the ceiling letters" to achieve further reductions in state expenses. This move signals a continued push for fiscal discipline across government departments. Other developments in the cultural and publishing sectors include the Region Sud considering integrating its regional book agency into Arsud due to reduced funding, and the Region Île-de-France securing a delay in the withdrawal of its digital "free" school books until November 2, 2026, instead of September 30. The National Conference on disability announced a "catch-up plan" to address delays in producing adapted books, while two publishing companies received warnings from the Audiovisual and Digital Regulation Authority (Arcom) for failing to deposit digital files with the National Library of France. Meanwhile, the French Language Enrichment Commission has updated vocabulary lists to include terms related to renewable energy and land transport. The European Commission has also consulted on the use of artificial intelligence in the cultural and creative sectors, noting both opportunities and challenges.