France’s National Assembly rejected the revenue section of the government’s 2027 social security financing bill Friday, Oct. 23, ending first-reading review before lawmakers reached spending proposals and leaving Senate consideration as the next scheduled step.
The official tally was 115 votes against, one in favor and 22 abstentions. The Assembly’s notice says the rejection ended its review before deputies could examine the bill’s spending provisions.
The Senate agenda lists discussion of the bill for Nov. 9, subject to transmission. Senators are set to consider the government’s filed draft.
That draft projects the deficit of France’s basic mandatory social security schemes at €12.7 billion in 2027, compared with €21.8 billion in 2026. One revenue provision would have counted profit-sharing and incentive payments when calculating employers’ contribution reductions, narrowing relief for some companies and increasing their payments to the social security system, as EconoTimes previously reported in its coverage of the employer-contribution proposal.
During debate, Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou said the proposed measures would have effects worth billions. Socialist lawmaker Jérôme Guedj criticized the rejection of revenue linked to the deficit plan, while opponents argued the employer measure would raise company costs, according to the Assembly record.
French parliamentary broadcaster LCP reported that the original proposal also included freezes to some pensions and family benefits. LCP noted that last year’s bill passed after an agreement between the government and Socialist lawmakers put pension reform on hold.
