The 2026 finance bill was passed using Article 49.3 of the Constitution, despite the Prime Minister's initial promise against it. The public deficit is projected at 5% of GDP, down from 5.4% in 2025, exceeding 150 billion euros overall. This amounts to an average of 3614 euros per one of the 41.5 million fiscal households.
The French government took four months to draft the 2026 finance bill (PLF), a process described as laborious by columnist Jean-Pierre Robin. Against the Prime Minister's initial pledge, the bill was passed using Article 49.3, putting the government's responsibility on the line.
In his letter to parliamentarians, Minister Sébastien Lecornu frames the budget as a «redressement des comptes publics», with the overall state and administrations deficit at 5% of GDP in 2026, down from 5.4% in 2025. Yet, Robin points out that this shortfall will surpass 150 billion euros, equating to 3614 euros per fiscal household on average, across 41.5 million households.
This deficit level echoes the 9% of GDP peak in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic and the «quoi qu'il en coûte» policy. Robin draws an ironic parallel to a papal conclave, referencing «Habemus legem» and the fictional election of Pope Léon XIV in spring 2025. He titles his column: «Ce sont désormais les enfants qui financent les repas dans les familles françaises», highlighting the generational burden of public debt.
