François Bayrou alone and on the front line to defend his unpopular budget

François Bayrou is proud of himself and wants to make it known. "All [political] leaders are going on a well-deserved vacation, which I will not do," he proclaims in a video dubbed "FB Direct" and published on YouTube on Tuesday, August 5. In the midst of the summer break, the head of government has assigned himself a new role on Rue de Varenne: that of chief communicator, responsible for defending to the public the much-maligned orientations of the 2026 budget presented on July 15 and its 44 billion euros in savings .

This "direct communication" operation, initiated by Matignon, was approved three weeks ago, following the press conference held in mid-July unveiling the budgetary guidelines. François Bayrou continues to dramatize the issue of debt, this "evil that threatens [our] survival" and which will ultimately cause significant "sacrifices" if nothing is done to stem it, he reiterated in his address on Tuesday.

Without a majority, the Prime Minister does not want to let the budget debate slip away from him, as it quickly focused on the most unpopular measures – a "blank year" for all social benefits, the elimination of two public holidays and the 10% reduction for professional expenses that pensioners benefit from.

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