2027 Budget: The government sets a limited increase in state spending excluding defense and debt

The government intends to continue its strategy of controlling public finances in 2027. In a document submitted to Parliament, it plans to limit the increase in ministerial spending to 0,4%, excluding debt servicing and military expenditures. This target represents growth four times lower than the expected inflation rate, according to the government.

Central government spending is set at €708,4 billion for 2027. Conversely, social security spending will continue to grow at a rate exceeding inflation, reaching €838,3 billion. The government also wants local authorities to keep their spending increases in line with inflation.

Ecology and solidarity among the priorities

The budget document provides for an overall increase of €1,5 billion in ministerial appropriations, excluding the Defense budget, which will benefit from an additional increase of €6,4 billion. The main increases concern the Ecology mission (+€1,5 billion), Solidarity (+€1,1 billion), School Education (+€0,8 billion), Research and Higher Education (+€0,6 billion), Security (+€0,6 billion) and Justice (+€0,4 billion).

Conversely, several missions will see their funding reduced. The budget allocated to Labor, Employment, and the administration of social ministries would decrease by €2,8 billion. Reductions are also planned for the France 2030 plan (-€0,4 billion), social security and pension schemes (-€0,4 billion), official development assistance (-€0,3 billion), relations with local authorities (-€0,2 billion), as well as the Agriculture and Health missions (-€0,1 billion each).

The government believes this budgetary effort will allow the state to contribute more to the recovery of public finances while preserving identified priorities. As early as June, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had asked members of the government to lower their budget requests in order to stay within the trajectory set for the 2027 budget bill.