Last month, during a two-hour press conference titled “a moment of truth,” the French prime minister outlined his severe plans to significantly reduce public spending in 2026.
The proposals involve eliminating two of France’s 11 public holidays, decreasing the number of civil servants, and freezing welfare payments, including pensions, which are typically adjusted annually for inflation.
This plan sparked a wave of outrage from both the far-right National Rally and left-wing opposition parties, who are threatening to collapse the government during the budget vote in the fall.
Despite the backlash, Bayrou remains determined to persuade voters that the cuts serve their best interests.
“When you’re forced to borrow — not for purchasing a house, apartment, home furnishings, or a car, but merely to cover everyday expenses — and you can’t repay without continuously seeking more costly loans — that’s called over-indebtedness,” Bayrou explained.
His government aims to reduce France’s deficit — the gap between government spending and tax revenue — from 5.8 percent of GDP last year to 4.6 percent in 2026.
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