French Prime Minister uses special power to see his 2026 budget bill through

France’s Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu invoked a special constitutional power to push the 2026 budget through the lower house without a vote, amid deep parliamentary divisions. This move could spark further no-confidence motions.

Louise Rasmussen/Reuters

January 30, 2026

French Prime Minister uses special power to see his 2026 budget bill through

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu leaves following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, January 28, 2026.

Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

France's Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu made use of a special constitutional power on Friday to force his 2026 budget bill through the deeply divided lower house of parliament without a vote, a move that will likely trigger further votes of no confidence.

Lecornu had already invoked Article 49.3 of the Constitution on the income side as well as on the expenditure side of the legislation to get it through the lower house, where it had become deadlocked after three months of discussions.

-Louise Rasmussen/Reuters