Who will be the most contributed in 2026? If the public finance recovery plan presented by Prime Minister François Bayrou plans 43.8 billion euros in savings to generate next year, some positions will be more forced than others.
A sign that we will have to tighten the belt, almost half of the total budget effort, precisely 20.8 billion euros, is allowed first for the “sustainable” control of the “public spending”, according to the plan communicated by the Government.
10 billion for the State and its operators
First, the State and its operators “will be exemplary stabilizing their expenses in general”, with the objective of “not spending 1 euro more in 2026 than in 2025”. This rule applies to the general budget with the exception of the Ministry of the Armed Forces: President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron promised 6,5 billion additional euros in two years in defense.
This diet then consists in reducing the number of public jobs of 3,000 in 2026 (excluding positions of students-professional students from students linked to the reform of teachers training), and not replacing one in three officials withdrew from 2027. The head of the Government also committed to the “reduction of state’s lifestyle and the best control of state inheritance.”
In the spirit of the Simplification Law of Economic Life, adopted on June 17 at the National Assembly and returned to the Joint Committee for the beginning of the September school year, the Bayrou Plan also includes the “reorganization of state operators through reintegration or mergers.” The expense will be “forwarded”, and 1,000 to 1,500 jobs will be eliminated next year. Some agencies will also be eliminated.
In total, savings should reach 4.8 billion euros for the State and 5.2 billion for operators.
5,300 million for local authorities
However, weakened, local authorities “will also take their part” to achieve 5.3 billion euros in savings. “In the coming years, their expenses should not progress faster than the resources of the nation,” the government insists.
However, “more attention will be paid to communities in difficulty with an exceptional support of 300 million euros provided to the more difficult departments.”
5.5 billion in social and health
The government also chooses to reduce health to absorb the Social Security hole. 5.5 billion should be saved by controlling social spending.
To achieve this, François Bayrou announced the duplication of the roofs of medical franchises and flat participations to empower patients with respect to the cost of health. These are the sums discreetly deduced by health insurance for the reimbursement of medicines, medical consultations, paramedical analysis, medical biology, radiology exams and health transport trips. A reform of the long -term conditions (ALD) is also foreseen in 2026.
4.2 billion eliminating two vacations
To straighten the public finances of the State, the French are also asked to work more. In this perspective, Prime Minister François Bayrou proposes to suppress two vacations: Easter Monday and May 8. A measure that should bring no less than 4.2 billion euros to the State.
These two vacations will be accompanied by a “contribution” paid by companies, said Labor Minister Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet on Wednesday. “What we are going to ask the French is for two vacations, to go to work”, without paying them “because they are already” and, in exchange for the wealth created, of the production created by this work day, companies will have to pay a contribution, “said the minister, without specifying the amount.
These two days would be added to the conversion since 2004 from Monday from Pentecost to the “Solidarity Day”, worked but not paid, with a tax corresponding to 0.3% of the annual payroll to finance better attention for the elderly or disabled.
7.1 billion euros for a white year
And that’s not all. François Bayrou has announced at the same time a “White Year”, to save 7.1 billion, a “mass and temporary gesture, asked everyone” that consisted of freezing at their level of public expenses of 2025 to renew them in an identical way to 2026.
In other words, housing, family assignments, retirement pensions and even the income tax scale should not be indexed to inflation in 2026.
9.9 billion to combat tax fraud, look for the tax niche
To save 9.9 billion additional euros, the government also wants to combat tax fraud, public aid or health expenses (2.3 billion) and wants to withdraw 3.4 billion euros through the “unnecessary” and “ineffective” fiscal niche hunting and by replacing the 10% reduction for income tax communication by the annual package of “professional costs”.
The Government also plans to generate 4,200 million euros thanks to “fiscal capital measures”; Thus a contribution of solidarity was announced on the highest income.
Finally, to reach the total of 43.8 billion budgetary efforts desired by the Government, 1.8 billion euros will be obtained in savings through “structural reforms” (1.8 billion).
Source: BFM TV
