LIVE. 2026 Budget: "It is not by impoverishing the most vulnerable that we will rebuild a country," denounces the CFDT regarding the government's savings plans.

She denounces a "dead end" . The general secretary of the CFDT, Marylise Léon, has questioned the savings avenues proposed by the Prime Minister regarding the 2026 budget . Without denying "the seriousness of the situation or the need for a collective effort" , the union leader considers the effort requested by the government to be "unbalanced" . "The government's announcements hit hard... but especially where it is easiest. It is not by impoverishing the most vulnerable that we will straighten out a country" , she said in a press release on Wednesday, July 16. Without going so far as to mention a mobilization, as the CGT did for example, Marylise Léon is calling for "a meeting between union and employer organizations in September" . Follow our live broadcast.

François Hollande calls for a "thorough revision" of the plan. In an interview published by Le Monde on Thursday, the former President of the Republic and current Socialist Party MP offers a nuanced assessment of the savings options presented by François Bayrou. While he agrees with the "gravity" of France's financial situation, which "could even become disastrous," François Hollande believes that "The Prime Minister's plan is unfair and unbalanced" regarding the efforts required. "The sacrifices are exclusively addressed to households (...) while nothing is asked of businesses and high net worth individuals," he judges, calling for adjustments. "If the government wants to avoid the risk of censorship, it must revise [its plan] thoroughly," he warns.

The National Rally is also considering censorship. "As things stand, it is impossible for the National Rally not to censor this government," Marine Le Pen warned Wednesday evening. The leader of the far-right parliamentary group in the National Assembly is calling for significant changes to the government's desired cuts. "François Bayrou would have to almost completely reverse the large cuts he has announced. I have little faith in that," she told Le Parisien .

Emmanuel Macron in sync with François Bayrou. During the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday at noon, the head of state gave a positive response to the Prime Minister's 2026 budget proposal , the government spokeswoman announced. Emmanuel Macron later praised a "clear, solid strategy" from Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées), where he was visiting. "This is a major undertaking that we have carried out with the Prime Minister and the ministers," the President of the Republic added, without ruling out potential adjustments.