France's overseas territories minister, Naïma Moutchou, announced the postponement of the National Assembly's review of a bill tackling high living costs in ultramarine areas. The move aims to bolster the legislation, seen as too modest following its unenthusiastic Senate adoption in late October. It comes amid social unrest over elevated prices in these regions.
During a visit to La Réunion on Thursday, November 27, 2025, Naïma Moutchou, France's minister for overseas territories, stated that the National Assembly's examination of the bill against high living costs in ultramarine territories would be postponed. The goal is to "give time for work" to enhance the text, which Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had labeled an "emergency."
Initiated by former minister Manuel Valls, the bill passed the Senate without much enthusiasm in late October. Lawmakers deemed it too timid, calling for a more ambitious measure to safeguard purchasing power, boost transparency, and foster competition in overseas areas. The issue fueled riots during protests in Martinique in autumn 2024.
Insee data shows food price gaps of up to 42% between overseas departments like Guadeloupe and Martinique and metropolitan France. In Guadeloupe, food prices rose 35% over the past decade.
Additionally, Moutchou confirmed the scrapping of two 2026 budget reforms: changes to employer social contribution exemptions (Lodéom) and tax breaks for productive investments in overseas territories. These were expected to save the state 650 million euros but sparked widespread backlash from ultramarine elected officials across political lines.
"High living costs must be a priority issue. There is this bill against high living costs that was examined in the Senate (…) The text has been improved but I think we can go much further," she told AFP, noting she had "extended a hand to parliamentarians" to collaborate on improvements.
"With the prime minister, we decided to abandon them in the context of this finance bill because we do not want to weaken ultramarine territories," the minister added, planning future efforts to reform these mechanisms more effectively.