Credits: NonOmnisMoriar / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0.
At the National Assembly on 12/09/2025 in Paris, deputies adopted the 2026 budget in second reading. Indeed, the Social Security budget (PLFSS 2026) was passed by 247 votes to 234. Led by Sébastien Lecornu, this vote without 49.3 brought together the majority and Socialist support. It promises €680 billion in spending, a deficit brought down to around €19.4–19.6 billion, and measures on pensions, health, and benefits. Account of a high-tension day.
What the National Assembly Decided
On 12/09/2025, at the National Assembly, deputies adopted the financing bill in second reading. Thus, the Social Security (PLFSS) 2026 was approved by 247 votes to 234. The text provides for about €680 billion in social spending. It aims for a 2026 deficit between €19.4 and €19.6 billion. This range is set by the government. The deficit was nearly €23 billion in 2025. It was a close vote, achieved without using Article 49.3. The government presents it as proof of a majority of compromise.
On the measures side, several provisions draw attention:
- The 2023 pension reform is suspended until January 2028. Thus, some insured persons may retire earlier than provided by the 2023 law.
- Increase in the CSG on capital to help finance social security.
- Indexation of social benefits to inflation, to avoid freezing amounts.
- Surtax on supplementary health insurance, feared by mutual insurers and contested by LFI and the RN.
- Limitation of sick leave to 30 days for certain cases, a measure denounced by the left.
- Ondam up by about 3%, with an additional €3.8 billion for health including €800 million for hospitals.
- Announcement of an overall effort of about €8 billion for health between 2025 and 2026, subject to the adoption of the budget.
A Day of Bargaining, Without 49.3
The corridors of the Palais-Bourbon were buzzing with calculations and calls. From the morning, group leaders, ministers and social interlocutors multiplied messages. The Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, kept his line: no 49.3 on this text, at the cost of last-minute concessions. Between 6:30 p.m., the announced time of the solemn vote, and the announcement of the result just before 8 p.m., the majority hung by a thread. The verdict: a 13-vote margin.
The Socialist Pivot and a Majority of Compromise
The Ensemble camp (Renaissance, Modem) supported the text. The surprise came from the Socialists. They chose a favorable vote in the name of responsibility. Moreover, they consider the negotiations to have been improving. A Liot majority also voted in favor, while isolated LR deputies added their voices.
Conversely, LR and Horizons mainly chose abstention, despite being part of the government camp. The Greens were split between abstention and rejection. LFI and the RN voted against as a bloc. They denounce a deficit-ridden and restrictive text for certain rights.
In union and hospital ranks, one argument weighed: adopting the financing law is an absolute necessity. It prevents the deficit from drifting toward €29–30 billion in the absence of a law being passed.
How the Votes Add Up: The Arithmetic of an Evening
The vote was decided by 13 votes, but another factor mattered: abstentions. In total, 93 deputies did not vote, which allowed the ad hoc coalition to cross the threshold. In this scheme, the PS’s positive vote tipped the outcome. The abstentions of LR and Horizons lowered the bar to be reached. This variable geometry might not repeat itself for the state budget.
What This Changes for Pensions and Health
The suspension of the pension reform until 01/2028 is the symbol of the compromise. The age and contribution duration steps of the April 2023 law will not fully apply. Indeed, some measures will be partially implemented depending on specific situations. Until then, this will offer more favorable exits for certain generations.
On purchasing power, indexing benefits to inflation secures maintaining pensions and allowances in 2026. In return, the fiscal effort focuses on the CSG on capital. However, the surtax on supplementary coverage could raise costs for mutual insurers. The opposition denounces a transfer of burdens to households.
On health, the roughly 3% increase in the Ondam comes with a decision in favor of facilities: nearly €800 million more for hospitals, within an announced envelope of €3.8 billion. Federations judge these amounts insufficient given costs and staff shortages.
Spending and Deficit: What the Numbers Say
The social perimeter represents about €680 billion in 2026. Reducing the deficit below €20 billion relies on a mix: targeted savings, additional revenues (including CSG on capital) and an Ondam top-up. Alternative scenarios evoked a drift toward €29–30 billion in case of parliamentary failure. The 12/09/2025 vote removes this immediate risk, without solving structural tensions (aging, chronic illnesses, hospital costs).
Procedure: What Now?
The text goes back to the Senate for an expedited reading. In case of persistent disagreement, the government can give the final word to the National Assembly. The goal is adoption before 12/31/2025. This sequence occurs while the state budget still needs to be voted; on that front, recoursing to 49.3 remains likely without sufficient support.
The Arguments, From the Majority to the Oppositions
The government stresses aligning the calendar and stabilizing the accounts. Objective: reduce the deficit below €20 billion in 2026 and prevent a political crisis. Sébastien Lecornu insists on the method: dialogue with hinge groups, concessions on pensions and hospitals, and refusal to hide behind 49.3.
The Socialist Party justifies its yes by responsibility: an imperfect budget but amended by discussion, with the suspension of pensions and indexing of benefits as red lines obtained.
LR and Horizons explain their abstention: a text judged unsatisfactory, but a fear of being blamed for a year-end blockage.
LFI and the RN denounce a cabinet of social horrors combining high deficit, increased levies and restrictions (mutuals, sick leave).
Reference Points: PLFSS, Ondam, 49.3
What To Take Away
By adopting the PLFSS 2026 by 247 votes to 234, the Assembly validated a compromise. This includes the temporary suspension of the pension reform. In addition, it provides for indexing benefits and an effort on health. Financing will come from CSG on capital and a surtax on supplementary coverage. The deficit should fall below €20 billion in 2026 if the path is maintained.
The matter is not closed: Senate, new reading and final vote before 12/31/2025 mark the coming days. Then will come the test of the state budget, where a 49.3 remains likely. Until then, the social equation remains the same: respond to hospital emergencies and purchasing power. Moreover, it is crucial to control spending and preserve cohesion in an Assembly without an absolute majority.