Bruno Le Maire, who previously served as France's Minister of Economy from 2017 to 2024, appeared on the LCP program Lundi, c'est politique on October 5, 2026, to voice his concerns about the government's proposed budget. He described the plan as "much more rigorous" and "much more serious" than the current strategy, warning that public finances have been deteriorating since the dissolution of the government in 2024. Le Maire expressed fears of a potential financial crisis in France if the situation is not addressed. To address the financial challenges, Le Maire proposed an "emergency brake" that would involve several measures, including de-indexing pensions, ending the 10% allowance for retirees, freezing salary increases for civil servants, and cutting 30 billion euros from the budget. He emphasized that this approach had not been seriously considered by any French political leader before. In addition, Le Maire suggested that France should request a discount on its contribution to the European Union, estimating it at -5 billion euros. He based this on the argument that France's average standard of living is lower than that of other European countries, and thus its financial burden should be adjusted accordingly. Le Maire also criticized the government's decision to freeze APL (housing assistance), which supports low-income households, and the requirement for some parents to choose between allowing their child to benefit from APL or keeping a tax benefit linked to the child's attachment to the household. He called this an "error" and warned that it could negatively impact the purchasing power of the middle class. Furthermore, he condemned the plan to extend the "soda tax" to sugary and processed products, calling it hypocritical. Despite his criticisms, Le Maire argued that failing to pass a budget would be the worst outcome for France. He urged the government to cut expenses further and to abandon certain taxes that might provoke public backlash. He also criticized Minister of Higher Education Philippe Baptiste for using the term "escalation" to describe the high school crisis, suggesting that such language stirs fear among the public. Le Maire emphasized the importance of listening to the voices of high school students rather than resorting to force or harsh opposition.