France has unveiled an emergency budget law aimed at preventing a shutdown of government services, as the country faces entering 2025 without an approved financial plan following recent political upheaval.
The special law, presented to the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, contains three key articles designed to maintain essential state functions and prevent any interruption of public services.
It comes in the wake of a political impasse that has stalled the passage of key finance legislation.
"The objective is really to ensure the continuity of the state," a government source told FranceInfo, adding that the law contains "no political reform".
The legislation will allow the government to continue collecting existing taxes and permit state borrowing through the French Treasury Agency.
It also authorises four social security organisations to take out loans to maintain their operations.
However, the emergency measure blocks any new tax initiatives and freezes several planned investments, including 25.7 billion euros in commitment authorisations for the armed forces.
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Recruitment freeze
The temporary law also affects public sector recruitment, with 700 planned military positions and 1,500 justice ministry jobs now on hold until a full budget can be passed.
"Recruitment necessary for the continuity of public services can nevertheless continue," the finance ministry said.
The National Assembly will examine the text on 16 December, followed by the Senate on 18 December.
The law must be enacted before 31 December to ensure uninterrupted public services. Once passed, a decree will allocate the minimum funds needed to keep those services running.
"When you look at the content of this law, there is no political reform, the objective is really to ensure the continuity of the state, so nothing suggests this would be a subject of discord," the government source told FranceInfo.
Manuel Bompard, coordinator of the hard-left France Unbowed party said: "We must guarantee budgetary continuity."
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Suspended measures
Several key programmes will be affected by the temporary arrangement.
The government confirmed that special electricity tariffs will revert to pre-crisis levels of 33.78 euros per megawatt hour, with regulated rates to be reviewed on 1 February 2025.
Support measures for farmers and New Caledonia will be suspended, while local authorities will receive their standard revenue allocations but not special investment grants.
The text follows article 45 of France's organic finance law and article 47 of the constitution.
A similar emergency measure was last used in December 1979, when the Constitutional Council rejected the government's draft budget over procedural issues.
