French parliament adopts law to keep gov’t functioning until new budget

PARIS

France’s parliament adopted a “special budget law” to maintain key government functions until a new budget for the next year is passed, according to local media reports.

After lawmakers at the National Assembly — the lower chamber of the French parliament — voted in favor of the temporary law on Monday, senators unanimously approved it on Wednesday, broadcaster BFMTV said.

The special law, which President Emmanuel Macron announced after Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government were ousted earlier this month, will ensure the continuity of public services in the country, and the French state will be able to keep collecting taxes.

The budget crisis stems from Barnier’s use of a constitutional measure to pass the 2025 Social Security budget without parliamentary approval, a move that led to his ousting in a no-confidence vote on Dec. 4.

His successor, Francois Bayrou, faces the challenge of drafting a budget for fiscal year 2025 that can secure parliamentary approval.

Bayrou must first form a Cabinet, for which he started talks with political parties on Dec. 16.