Before François Bayrou's press conference, what are the main measures in his austerity budget?

Anger is brewing among more and more French people. On social media and at the summer schools of left-wing parties, the time has come to mobilize and organize for September 10th . The goal: to challenge François Bayrou's austerity budget and put a stop to social injustice. According to the latest polls, nearly two out of three French people are in favor of the "Block Everything" movement, while unions are also preparing their response.

In an attempt to defuse the anger he has sparked, the Prime Minister is holding a press conference at 4 p.m., from government offices on Avenue de Ségur. He will no doubt attempt to justify the merits of his austerity budget by calling on the French to be "responsible." Before this speech, which, in light of previous ones, promises to be dramatic for social rights, L'Humanité takes stock of the main measures in François Bayrou's plan: sparing the richest and bleeding the poor and the vulnerable.

On July 15, François Bayrou announced the abolition of two public holidays : Easter Monday and May 8, for a profit estimated by Matignon at €4.2 billion. Thus, for the government, the public deficit is not due to poor management on its part—in particular, its gifts to the wealthy and the proliferation of uncontrolled and unrequited aid to large companies—but to French people taking it easy, their low employment rate explaining the lack of wealth creation and condemning us to paying on credit for our social model and our public services.

The Prime Minister claimed, for example, that we would work 100 hours less per year than our German neighbors. This is a lie : A study by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) comparing the working hours of people working on both sides of the Rhine in 2023 counted 1,335 hours per worker across the Rhine, or 154 hours less than in mainland France (1,489 hours). The executive also forgets to mention that with 11 public holidays in a calendar year, France is below the European average of 11.7 according to Eures (European Employment Services).

A freeze on social benefits and income tax scales, retirement pensions, a lockdown on public services , social investments... François Bayrou announced in July a "blank year" for all state spending. By "blank," we mean a year of declining purchasing power and increasing poverty. In short, a "black" year for everyone, except the richest.

Retirees, the unemployed, and those receiving benefits will see their standard of living erode as inflation rises—a decision of rare social violence, estimated at €3.7 billion in "savings" at the expense of the poor. These measures could be compounded by future blows delivered via the return of the unemployment insurance reform and a previously announced negotiation—which says nothing good—on labor law.

By freezing the income tax scale, the government is quietly imposing a disguised tax increase on the working and middle classes. With inflation increasing nominal incomes, many households will be pushed into higher tax brackets without any real gains—an unfair… and underhanded measure.

The threat has been looming for several weeks. It is confirmed. "One in three civil servants retiring will not be replaced," announced the Prime Minister. Starting in 2026, 3,000 positions will be eliminated in all ministries (with the exception of defense), but this would spare "the student teacher positions created as part of the teacher reform." What will happen to other positions in National Education and, more generally, in other sectors, including health and justice, where unions have been chronically warning of understaffing?

After two consecutive years of freezing the index point, civil servants will also experience another blank year, the head of government announced. Other savings "in the state's lifestyle" have been announced and confirmed: those affecting the "countless state agencies" , several of which are expected to be eliminated , merged or reinternalized. François Bayrou is thus counting on the elimination of a thousand positions.

Five billion euros in savings: this is how "proud" François Bayrou is of our healthcare system. In line with the proposals of the National Health Insurance Fund and the Medef (French employers' association), François Bayrou is focusing above all on making patients "responsible ." He first proposes doubling the ceiling on medical deductibles, and therefore the remaining cost for the patient, from 50 to 100 euros per year.

As feared, patients with long-term illnesses (ALD) are targeted . A "thorough reform" of the system will exclude from 100% reimbursement medications that are not related to the declared condition and will remove people from ALD "if it is no longer justified" . A hammer blow for the 13 million chronically ill and cancer victims.

Patients are urged not to have multiple tests and hospital visits, and to "be more efficient in their purchases." As for equipment for the disabled, such as walking sticks, "they must be able to be returned after (the person) has passed away" (sic). The government's recurring obsession, the "drift" in sick leave, is being singled out.