French Prime Minister Le Corny said on Monday that after the bill has won enough political support to ensure that it can survive the unavoidable vote of no confidence that will follow, the government will use the special powers granted by the Constitution to force the 2026 budget to pass through the parliament. After the cabinet meeting, Le Corney said he plans to invoke section 49.3 of the Constitution to evade a parliamentary vote on this finance bill and break his previous promise not to use this power. “I did this with regret because I realized I had to break my word,” Le Corney told reporters. Le Corney said section 49.3 will be formally invoked in the House of Commons on Tuesday to pass revenue legislation before submitting it to the Senate. The move brought the centrist government's three-month effort to introduce a budget that could reduce the deficit nearing its end. An official said the government expects the budget to be finally passed in the first half of February.

French Prime Minister Le Corny said on Monday that after the bill has won enough political support to ensure that it can survive the unavoidable vote of no confidence that will follow, the government will use the special powers granted by the Constitution to force the 2026 budget to pass through the parliament. After the cabinet meeting, Le Corney said he plans to invoke section 49.3 of the Constitution to evade a parliamentary vote on this finance bill and break his previous promise not to use this power. “I did this with regret because I realized I had to break my word,” Le Corney told reporters. Le Corney said section 49.3 will be formally invoked in the House of Commons on Tuesday to pass revenue legislation before submitting it to the Senate. The move brought the centrist government's three-month effort to introduce a budget that could reduce the deficit nearing its end. An official said the government expects the budget to be finally passed in the first half of February.