During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Lecornu asked his ministers “to bend over backward” to make sure a budget gets passed, according to government spokesperson Maud Bregeon.
The Socialist Party, which was instrumental in passing the social security budget, could again play a kingmaker role. After warning that they could vote against the current text, they are now reportedly mulling an abstention in exchange for €10 billion of extra spending, which would be financed by tax hikes.
But lawmakers from various political persuasions directly involved in budget talks are little optimistic of the chances of success.
Far-left MP Eric Coquerel, the president of the National Assembly Finance Committee, predicted that talks would fail, as did centrist Charles de Courson.
“The die is cast, it can’t pass,” de Courson said.
Paul de Villepin contributed to this report.