The French prime minister proposed the suspension of President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension reform in a last -ditch attempt to secure parliamentary support for the budget of 2026 and to preserve his prime minister.

In a significant folding of the government and victory for the Left, Sebastian Lekorni announced on Tuesday that the increase in the retirement limit of 64 years would be suspended by 2027, when the presidential election will be held. However, parties should agree on other cuts so that next year’s deficit remains below 5% of GDP, he added.

“Is the government ready for a new dialogue on pensions reform? The answer is yes, “Lekorni said in his first speech at the National Assembly, where he also announced additional taxes for businesses.

Speaking before the National Assembly, the French Prime Minister acknowledged that France “lives a period of crisis”, however, stressing that “there is no excuse for a proposal of no confidence”. He said he was open to “dialogue and compromise”, stressing that one of his missions was “to bring back class to French politics”.

Lekorni assured that “parliament will have the last word in the budget” and warned that “France cannot depend on foreign debt”.

It has also announced targeted tax increases for very large companies, as well as the creation of an “extraordinary contribution” to large property in order to finance future investments related to French sovereignty.

At the same time, he noted that there will be tax breaks for small and medium -sized enterprises, noting: “There will be tax cuts on the one hand and increases on the other, so that the efforts between taxpayers will be more equitable and to maintain the control of our fiscal burdens, which are already high.”

The prime minister, who had resigned last week to be appointed again a few days later than Macron, in the midst of a political crisis, finds it difficult to satisfy the demands of the different political blocks of the shared parliament, seeking their support for his proposals to reduce his fiscal deficit.

The Socialist Party, which depends on Lekorni’s political survival, had called for the suspension of the 2023 reform in question, which increased the retirement threshold by two years to 64. According to the prime minister, this suspension would cost € 400 million at 2026 and € 2026.