The French government has taken legal action after internal documents suggesting the possibility of taxing employee savings were leaked to the media. According to the Prime Minister’s office, the documents, described as a "working document" rather than an official decision, were prepared as part of evaluating options for funding the 2027 Social Security budget. The government has filed a formal complaint under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure with the Public Prosecutor in Paris, emphasizing that such sensitive budget discussions must be protected to safeguard the nation's interests. The leaked documents were part of an internal evaluation process, and the Prime Minister’s services clarified that no ministers had validated the proposal, nor had the Prime Minister himself expressed support for it. Roland Lescure, the Minister of Economy and Finance, acknowledged that taxing salary savings was one of many options being studied, but the Prime Minister’s office insists that the preferred direction is the opposite — to increase employee access to their existing savings rather than impose new taxes. In line with this approach, the government supports a bill introduced by Senator Olivier Rietmann, which would allow employees to temporarily access up to 5,000 euros from their salary savings. This aligns with the Prime Minister’s stated preference for policies that give workers more flexibility with their savings. The main French business organization, Medef, has also opposed the idea of taxing salary savings, calling it a result of "work and collective success" rather than a government reserve. As the government prepares the 2027 budget, it faces a challenging economic environment marked by low growth and public spending deficits. With a presidential election approaching, the government is seeking to reduce costs primarily through cuts in state and local authority operations, as well as Social Security administration expenses. The Prime Minister has made it clear that he opposes new taxes or additional tax increases, warning that without action, the government risks running into significant financial difficulties.