The Senate's finance commission adopted a series of amendments to the 2026 budget draft on Monday, November 24, aiming for lower corporate taxes and more savings while keeping the deficit target at 4.7% of GDP. Amid the blockage in the National Assembly, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called for votes on absolute priorities such as defense and agriculture. The Senate also rejected government-proposed restrictions on sick leave.
The Senate, dominated by the right and center, began overhauling the 2026 finance bill (PLF) draft on Monday, November 24, after the National Assembly rejected the "revenues" section in the night of November 21 to 22 (404 votes against, one for). Unlike the Assembly's "Frankenstein budget" with piecemeal amendments, the Senate version promises to be more coherent and liberal. The finance commission, chaired by Socialist Claude Raynal from Haute-Garonne, adopted consensual amendments scrapping new taxes from deputies, deemed inapplicable by Bercy, and targeting a public deficit of 4.7% of GDP in 2026, versus 4.9% or 5% considered by the government.
"Several amendments reached consensus there," specified Mr. Raynal. Senators largely follow the government but emphasize savings and reduced public spending, without new corporate taxes.
Meanwhile, under the social security financing bill (PLFSS), the Senate rejected the executive's proposed sick leave duration limits: 15 days for a city doctor and 30 days in hospital, set by decree. LR Senator Corinne Imbert defended doctors' "prescription freedom," arguing capping would require "several hundred thousand hours of consultation" amid fragile healthcare access. Sick leave-related spending totals 11 billion euros in 2024, up 6% annually for five years.
Health Minister Stéphanie Rist regretted the decision: "After a month, we can see the patient on sick leave again. It doesn't seem very shocking." Ecologist Senator Raymonde Poncet Monge warned of risks of "non-recourse and forced presenteeism." Senators also banned renewing sick leaves via telemedicine, despite government opposition deeming it unconstitutional; the law already caps such leaves at three days.
Amid this blockage, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated Monday on Matignon's steps that "there is still a majority in the National Assembly to pass the budget." He plans to meet party leaders and submit parliamentary votes on "absolute priorities" like security, defense, agriculture, and energy, whose credits were not examined. "For the first time, deputies talked to each other and worked together," he added, criticizing the "cynicism" of La France Insoumise and the National Rally.
The timeline is tight: vote on revenues in the Senate on December 4, on the full PLF on December 15, final adoption by December 23 at latest, and promulgation before December 31 for January 1, 2026 implementation. For the PLFSS, solemn vote in the Senate on November 26 and final adoption by December 12. In case of failure, the government could resort to a special finance law or ordinances.
