France passes its 2026 Budget: News Digest 

Using Article 49.3, the Prime Minister has pushed France’s official 2026 budget through and bypassed a formal vote. MPs have approved proposals for both free hospital parking and the removal of low-emission zones, but doctors are outraged at the possibility of facing fines of up to €10,000 if they fail to meet digital paperwork requirements. Here are the headlines from French newspapers this week. 

France passes its 2026 Budget

After months of political deadlock, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu used Article 49.3 to bypass a formal vote to pass the official Budget for 2026. Two no-confidence motions were rejected, allowing the budget to be adopted despite opposition.

For residents, the budget increases support for low- and middle-income households. The prime d’activité will rise by about €50 per month for three million people, and the €1 student meal scheme is being expanded nationwide. Social benefits are broadly revalued, and the ‘MaPrimeRénov’ scheme continues to help homeowners with energy-efficiency renovations. Farmers also benefit from preserved funding for key programmes.

At the same time, the budget raises taxes on businesses and high earners. Relief on the Cotisation sur la Value Ajoutée des Entreprises (CVAE) business tax was removed, and the Contribution Différentielle sur les Hauts Revenus (CDHR) ensures a minimum 20% tax for top earners. Online shoppers face a new €2 fee on imports under €150. Some controversial measures, like freezing income tax brackets or removing the pensioner allowance, were dropped.

Overall, the budget supports vulnerable groups and strategic sectors while maintaining fiscal discipline, but it increases costs for businesses and high-income residents.

Free hospital parking proposal approved by MPs

In response to growing criticism of the rising hospital parking costs. On January 29, MPs approved a bill that would guarantee free parking for patients for the full duration of their care, staff and limited free access for visitors. 

If the bill becomes law after being examined by the Senate, visitors could be entitled to two hours of free parking before charges are introduced, which will be capped at €15. If approved, this law would only apply to public hospitals and not private healthcare institutions.

Doctors angered by proposed fines over digital paperwork

French GPs are angry about government plans to fine doctors who do not properly complete patients’ digital medical records on the dossier médical partagé (DMP) system. The proposed fines could reach €10,000 a year from 2028. Although the constitutional court blocked the initial proposal, the government plans to reintroduce it.

Doctors argue the DMP is slow, poorly designed, and adds to already heavy administrative workloads, reducing time for patient care. GP unions say the measure was a key factor behind the recent 10-day doctors’ strike in January and warn that many patients, especially older people, struggle with digital systems, and existing medical software does not integrate well with the DMP.

MPs vote in favour of abolishing low-emission zones

French MPs and senators have agreed in a joint committee to include a measure in the 2025 simplification bill that would abolish ‘Zones à Faibles Émissions’ (ZFEs), which restrict older, more polluting vehicles in city centres. 

ZFEs currently exist in over 20 areas across France, and scrapping them would mean drivers no longer need to check restrictions or display ‘Crit’Air’ stickers when entering those zones. However, the bill still requires final approval by both the National Assembly and the Senate, and faces opposition from the government, local authorities, and environmental groups.

Read more about the current low-emission zone laws here.