French Assembly almost unanimously rejects state budget

France’s National Assembly has almost unanimously rejected the state budget’s revenue section, marking a first under the Fifth Republic.

After 125 hours of debate on wealth and corporate taxation, 404 MPs voted against the measure, while one voted in favour and 84 abstained. Most abstentions came from government-aligned lawmakers, and both left-wing parties and the National Rally opposed the bill.

The budget now moves to the Senate, where many lower-house amendments are expected to be removed. For the budget to pass without a decree, both chambers must agree on a final version. A joint committee will attempt to reach a compromise once the Senate completes its review. Under the constitution, if no agreement is reached by early December, the government can impose the budget by decree.