France's Social Security Budget Vote: Key Provisions and Political Stakes

The 2026 French Social Security Finance Bill (PLFSS)

• 🇫🇷 The bill has undergone significant modifications and compromises since its submission on October 14th.
• 💰 The financing section, including additional taxes, has already passed, with measures like increased out-of-pocket costs being removed.

Key Spending Provisions

• ⚠️ A major concession is the suspension of pension reforms, freezing the retirement age at 62 years and 9 months until at least the 2027 presidential election.
• 👩‍🍼 The bill aims to improve mother's pension calculations and encourage professionals to retire later by tightening rules on working while retired.
• 🩺 The duration of sick leave prescriptions will be capped, initially to one month and then to two months for a second prescription.
• 👶 A new type of parental leave is proposed, offering 70% of salary for the first month and 60% for the second month of care for a child.

Financial Implications and Political Stakes

• 📉 If passed, the government projects a social security deficit of 19.6 billion euros.
• ⚖️ If the bill is rejected, the deficit is estimated to be 30 billion euros, with significant consequences for the country and the prime minister.
• 🗳️ The Socialist leader Olivier Faure has called for backing the bill, highlighting its importance ahead of the key vote.