A 2026 budget under tension
The draft 2026 budget is deemed unacceptable, especially after the adoption of socialist amendments. The most important issue is not defended by the right: controlling debt and deficit, ensuring the responsibilities of the State across the territory. We are the people most persecuted by taxation, with an administration that spends without counting.
The more we spend, the more we have to tax the French to finance waste. We must refuse this leftist logic of taxing the people to spend more. Given the current situation, a significant reduction in public spending in the state and territorial civil service is necessary, with the exception of sovereign ministries (police, justice, military, diplomacy) and the hospital sector.
The country must also aim for excellence in key sectors, through investment in research and innovation.
This approach implies cutting certain positions, creating new jobs in the digital and artificial intelligence fields, as well as rebalancing public missions. Since 1974, they have already destroyed all the economic sectors that made us wealthy: textiles, automotive, metallurgy, industry, and why not soon agriculture.
Political alliances at stake
However, the process of adopting the 2026 budget stalled in the face of the Senate's intransigence. The Commission Mixte Paritaire did not reach a positive conclusion and Lecornu is going to use a special law to provide France with a budget. This does not prevent a discreet rapprochement between the PS, former PS members (Cazeneuve, Glucksmann), and Macronists from the PS.
An alliance between PS and Renaissance seems to be emerging with a view to the 2027 presidential election to avoid a dissolution that would reduce their representation in the Assemblée. The Republican right should take note of this development, marked by this rapprochement with the socialists. And reaffirm its opposition to the left. Which it does not do!
Furthermore, despite the clearly deteriorated relations between the PS and LFI, joint left-wing lists could remain in the second round of municipal elections. The PS initiated negotiations with Lecornu to avoid a vote of no confidence, a step that was aimed, above all, at preserving personal interests.
The consequences of the budget debates
The debates on the 2026 finance and Social Security bill projects have heightened tensions between the PS and La France Insoumise. Indeed, Mélenchon considers that the socialists have changed alliances. Concretely, the socialists obtained satisfaction on several points: an increase in the CSG on financial assets, the creation of a tax on unproductive wealth, suspension of the pension reform, abolition of the 10% deduction on pensions, and increases in property taxes and the housing tax. Only the Zucman amendment was rejected.
The right must demand that France strengthen its independence, particularly in energy. An entire task that, unfortunately, is not being pursued by any political party!
Bernard Bertucco Van Damme