Three weeks after offering a spectacular budget cut of 44 billion euros next year, French Prime Minister François Byrou is embarking on a rare PR stunt.
As his approval ratings plummeted, Bayrou decided to release a podcast and a series of YouTube videos. Overview of the 2026 budget Directly to the French citizens.
The podcast will air the first episode this Tuesday at 5pm. For YouTube videos, the first focuses on the general budget framework. Viewers can even ask questions.
France’s public deficit reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024, totaling 168.6 billion euros, far exceeding the maximum allowed by EU regulations.
On July 15, the Prime Minister presented a massive savings plan, targeting approximately 44 billion euros in the 2026 budget.
In his announcement, Bayrou outlines significant budget cuts to cut hundreds of billions of euros, aiming to cut the deficit to 5.4% of this year’s GDP and 4.6% in 2026.
Some of the most controversial measures are to reduce two bank holidays, as well as reduce frozen retirement pensions and social benefits.
In reality, this means that these benefits are not adjusted for inflation, as is the case in normal cases.
Bayrou hopes the cut brings the deficit down 3% threshold set by the EU By 2029.
These decisions have been severely criticized by the opposition parties, particularly the far-right national rallies. This threatens to vote no confidence when the budget is considered in Congress this fall.
Bayrou said it will “negotiate” with different political groups but will not “backdown” the deficit reduction target.
This is a tricky initiative for men who compare those in their camp to former prime minister Michel Bernier. It fell It was last winter following the vote of no confidence.
