France finally has a budget for 2026. Well, almost. On Monday, February 2, lawmakers rejected the final no-confidence motions that could have brought down the government and blocked the bill. The two motions, filed by the non-Socialist left and the far right, fell short of the 289 votes needed to pass, receiving only 260 and 135, respectively. The budget bill is now considered adopted. In a few more days, it will be law. France’s Constitutional Council must first review the bill and remove any unconstitutional articles before it can be enacted. It is expected to come into force around February 10, about 40 days late.
The process began on July 15, 2025, when then-prime minister François Bayrou unveiled his priorities for the 2026 budget. More than 200 days of discussions followed. In the eyes of many, this was the worst of politics: endless debates, repeated backtracking, secret negotiations, all leading to an outcome criticized by everyone. Tellingly, the Assemblée Nationale’s Finance Committee unanimously rejected the final draft, with only a few MPs present on January 30.
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