Bayrou gives himself "two months" to complete his budgetary austerity plan

The Prime Minister attended the start of the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycling race on Saturday towards Luchon-Superbagnères. — The Prime Minister attended the start of the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycling race on Saturday, heading towards Luchon-Superbagnères. THIBAULT CAMUS/AP/SIPA / THIBAULT CAMUS/AP/SIPA

Prime Minister François Bayrou gave himself "two months" this Saturday, July 19, to finalize his budget austerity plan presented this week, which the opposition is threatening to censure.

"There will probably be all sorts of speeches to clarify, refine, and respond. We have two months ahead of us to complete this plan," the head of government declared on BFMTV from his home town of Pau, where he notably attended the start of the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycling race towards Luchon-Superbagnères.

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On Friday, the mayor of Pau also gave a tour of his city to the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, who reported on the X network.

François Bayrou agreed on Tuesday when presenting his plan that he could "discuss" with the parliamentary groups but without "backing down" on the deficit reduction targets set.

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"Tour de France" and "mortal danger"

His plan foresees savings of nearly 44 billion by 2026. "It's not quite the Tour de France" but the "Himalayan" chain, repeated François Bayrou, who sees the increase in France's debt and deficit as a "mortal danger" for the country.

In "La Tribune Dimanche" , former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve denounced an "unfair and recessionary" plan which will weigh on "consumption while growth is weak" .

The president of the La Convention movement is calling for "real structural reforms" , for "the most well-off households, with a strong propensity to save, to contribute more" and for certain expenditures to be "re-evaluated or even stopped" , citing "universal national service" and "the Culture pass".

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Montchalin wants to find "a compromise"

Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin, for her part, indicated that she wanted to achieve a draft budget "by September" that "brings together the common core. " She urged MPs to find "a compromise in a historic moment."

"With (the Minister of the Economy) Eric Lombard, by September, we hope to arrive at a strong budget project that brings together the common base. Then, we will open up to other political forces," she said in an interview with "La Tribune Dimanche" .

"We want to reach a clear compromise within three months," she added, "and our goal is to find an agreement on the essentials . " "Waiting is costly: in credibility, in savings, in investment capacity. Anyone who runs for president in 2027 but who has contributed to the deadlock will not be credible," she said.

Asked about the reactions to Prime Minister François Bayrou's budget announcements on Tuesday - mostly negative - Amélie de Montchalin replied that it was "normal that this would be the subject of reactions." But "those of October may not be those of July." "We are in a particular moment where we need to find people who have the courage to take responsibility with us," she said.

"Finding a compromise in a historic moment for our country without denying ourselves is possible."

Seeming to reach out to the opposition, she adds that "in February, we adopted a better budget thanks to contributions from the opposition, notably the Socialist Party" , such as for example "credits for overseas territories or the Barnier fund" .

By The New Obs with AFP

Bayrou gives himself "two months" to complete his budgetary austerity plan

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Prime Minister François Bayrou gave himself "two months" this Saturday, July 19, to finalize his budget austerity plan presented this week, which the opposition is threatening to censure.

Also read

2026 Budget Interview : “The supposedly unanimous ‘common sense’ on debt is at the service of a real class policy”

On Friday, the mayor of Pau also gave a tour of his city to the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, who reported on the X network.

François Bayrou agreed on Tuesday when presenting his plan that he could "discuss" with the parliamentary groups but without "backing down" on the deficit reduction targets set.

Also read

Interview : “We are witnessing the destruction of the public cultural service”

"Tour de France" and "mortal danger"

In "La Tribune Dimanche" , former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve denounced an "unfair and recessionary" plan which will weigh on "consumption while growth is weak" .

Also read

Interview with Boris Vallaud: "The first victims of Dr. Bayrou's bloodletting are the middle and working classes"

Montchalin wants to find "a compromise"