At the National Assembly, on 12/09/2025 in Paris, the deputies adopted the 2026 budget in the second reading. Indeed, the Social Security budget (PLFSS 2026) was voted by 247 votes to 234. Led by Sébastien Lecornu, this vote without using article 49.3 combines the majority and socialist support. It promises 680 billion in spending, a deficit reduced to around 19.4–19.6 billion, and measures on pensions, health, and benefits. A story of a day under high tension.
What the National Assembly Decided
On 12/09/2025, at the National Assembly, the deputies adopted the financing bill in the second reading. Thus, the Social Security (PLFSS) 2026 was approved by 247 votes to 234. The text provides for approximately 680 billion euros in social spending. It aims for a 2026 deficit between 19.4 and 19.6 billion euros. This range is set by the government. The deficit was nearly 23 billion in 2025. It is a tight vote, obtained without using article 49.3. The government presents it as proof of a compromise majority.
On the measures side, several provisions draw attention:
- The 2023 pension reform is suspended until January 2028. Thus, some insured individuals will be able to retire earlier than planned by the 2023 law.
- Increase in the CSG on capital to contribute to the financing of Social Security.
- Indexation of social benefits to inflation, to avoid freezing amounts.
- Surtax on complementary health insurance, feared by mutuals and contested by LFI and the RN.
- Limitation of sick leave to 30 days for certain cases, a measure denounced by the left.
- Ondam increased 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 budget adoption.
A Day of Negotiations, Without 49.3
The corridors of the Palais-Bourbon buzzed with calculations and calls. From the morning, group leaders, ministers, and social interlocutors multiplied messages. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu maintained his line: no 49.3 on this text, at the cost of last-minute concessions. Between 6:30 PM, the time of the announced solemn vote, and the announcement of the result a little before 8 PM, the majority held on a thread. The verdict: a 13-vote difference.
The Socialist Pivot and a Compromise Majority
The Ensemble camp (Renaissance, Modem) supported the text. The surprise came from the socialists. They chose the favorable vote in the name of responsibility. Moreover, they consider the negotiations to be improving. A majority of Liot also voted in favor, while isolated LR deputies lent their support.
Conversely, LR and Horizons mostly chose abstention, despite their belonging to the government camp. The Ecologists were divided between abstention and rejection. LFI and the RN voted against as a bloc. They denounce a deficit and restrictive text for certain rights.
In the union and hospital ranks, one argument weighed: adopting the financing law is an absolute necessity. It prevents the deficit from drifting towards 29–30 billion euros in the absence of a voted law.
How the Votes Add Up: The Arithmetic of an Evening
The vote was decided by 13 votes, but another factor counted: abstentions. In total, 93 deputies did not vote, which allowed the makeshift coalition to cross the threshold. In this scheme, the positive vote of the PS tipped the outcome. The abstentions of LR and Horizons lowered the threshold to be reached. This variable geometry might not be repeated 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 insurance duration thresholds of the April 2023 law will not fully apply. Indeed, some measures will be partially implemented according to specific situations. Until then, it will offer more favorable exits for certain generations.
On the purchasing power side, the indexation of benefits to inflation ensures the maintenance of pensions and allowances in 2026. In return, the fiscal effort focuses on the CSG on capital. However, the surtax on complementary health insurance could increase mutuals’ costs. The opposition denounces a shift of charges to households.
On health, the increase in Ondam by about 3% is accompanied by an arbitration in favor of establishments: nearly 800 million more for hospitals, within an announced envelope of 3.8 billion. Federations consider these amounts insufficient given the costs and staff shortages.
Spending and Deficit: What the Numbers Say
The social scope represents about 680 billion euros in 2026. The reduction of the deficit below 20 billion relies on a mix: targeted savings, additional revenues (including the CSG on capital), and an increase in Ondam. Alternative scenarios mentioned a drift towards 29–30 billion in case of parliamentary failure. The vote on 12/09/2025 eliminates this immediate risk, without resolving structural tensions (aging, chronic diseases, hospital costs).
Procedure: What Now?
The text returns to the Senate for an express 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; on this front, the use of 49.3 remains likely due to insufficient support.
The Arguments, from the Majority to the Opposition
The government highlights the alignment of the calendar and the stabilization of accounts. Objective: reduce the deficit below 20 billion in 2026 and prevent a political crisis. Sébastien Lecornu insists on the method: dialogue with pivotal 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 through discussion, with the suspension of pensions and indexation of benefits as red lines obtained.
LR and Horizons explain their abstention: a text deemed unsatisfactory, but the fear of being blamed for the year-end blockage.
LFI and the RN denounce a cabinet of social horrors mixing high deficit, increased levies, and restrictions (mutuals, sick leave).
Key Points: PLFSS, Ondam, 49.3
What to Remember
By adopting the PLFSS 2026 by 247 votes to 234, the Assembly validated a compromise. This includes the temporary suspension of the pension reform. Moreover, it provides for the indexation of benefits and an effort on health. Financing will be done through CSG on capital and a surtax on complementary health insurance. The deficit should return to less than 20 billion in 2026 if the trajectory is maintained.
The game is not over: 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 probable. Until then, the social equation remains the same: respond to the urgencies of hospitals and purchasing power. Moreover, it is crucial to control spending and preserve cohesion in an Assembly without an absolute majority.