Braun-Pivet urges faster budget work

Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly, has asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to speed up the work on the 2027 budget texts, calling for the government to "activate the 49.3 within the coming days." She made this statement in an interview with Le Figaro, saying it would help clarify matters around taxation and revenues and reassure both the markets and the public.

Options for passing the budget

Without a majority in the Assembly and without reaching a compromise, the government has two choices to ensure France has a budget for next year: using Article 49.3 of the Constitution or passing the budget through decrees. Braun-Pivet argues that using decrees would mean the original text remains unchanged, without considering parliamentary debates.

Risks of using Article 49.3

Activating Article 49.3 allows the government to take responsibility for a bill, which is considered adopted without a vote, unless a motion of censure is passed by an absolute majority of deputies. If that happens, the government could fall. Braun-Pivet acknowledges this risk but hopes the 577 deputies will prioritize the national interest over party lines.

Benefits of using Article 49.3

Braun-Pivet also said using Article 49.3 would free up time for the Assembly to work on other important texts, such as those related to "breakers-payers," higher education, transport, and the powers of municipal police. This would allow the legislature to focus on multiple legislative priorities at once.

Budget goals and challenges

In its proposal for the 2027 budget, the government aims to reduce the public deficit to 5 percent of GDP. This goal comes amid ongoing financial difficulties and rising interest rates in France, making the budget process particularly complex and challenging.