General Policy Statement by François Bayrou: Major Initiatives Unveiled

This Tuesday, January 14, Prime Minister François Bayrou delivered his general policy statement before the National Assembly. In a challenging political context, marked by the lack of an absolute majority and the recent fall of the previous government, the head of government outlined the key priorities and reforms of his tenure.

An Alarming Debt and Inevitable Budgetary Efforts

François Bayrou began his speech with a concerning observation: France’s public debt, reaching €3,228 billion, represents a genuine “Sword of Damocles over our country and our social model.” To address this situation, he emphasized the need to redefine budgets and announced the creation of a special fund dedicated to state reform, financed through the sale of public assets, particularly real estate.

This fund aims to support strategic investments, such as the deployment of artificial intelligence in public services, while reinforcing the goal of reducing the public deficit to 3% by 2029.

Pension Reform: A Revived Project

On the contentious issue of pensions, François Bayrou announced an immediate “restart of discussions” in partnership with social stakeholders. A permanent delegation will be formed to work on a fairer and more balanced reform. If no consensus is reached, the current reform, with the retirement age set at 64, will remain in force. To ensure transparency, a swift audit by the Court of Auditors will provide reliable data on the pension system.

Administrative Simplification: A Key Challenge

François Bayrou criticized the excessive weight of French bureaucracy, which he estimates costs 4% of GDP annually. He advocated for a simplification of regulations and proposed reversing the administrative burden: the administration will now be responsible for completing documents, leaving users to verify them. This simplification is accompanied by plans to quickly adopt a law facilitating economic activity.

Proportional Representation and Democratic Reform

The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to introducing proportional representation in legislative elections. He also proposed creating a “democracy bank” to guarantee public and transparent financing of political parties and campaigns, avoiding dependence on private banks. Additionally, he suggested reopening the debate on term limits, a controversial measure he believes is necessary to strengthen the local presence of elected officials.

Immigration: Strengthened Regulation Policies

François Bayrou expressed his “deep conviction” that immigration is a matter of proportions, illustrating his point with concrete examples. He announced the reactivation of the interministerial committee for immigration control and better use of development aid to facilitate returns to countries of origin. He also criticized the low execution rate of deportation orders (OQTF).

Health, Education, and Social Issues

• Mental Health: Designated as the 2025 national cause, with a significant increase in the National Objective for Healthcare Spending (ONDAM) to improve conditions for healthcare workers and protect the most vulnerable.
• Education: Criticizing the early specialization of students, François Bayrou questioned the Parcoursup platform and proposed introducing a “transition year” between secondary and higher education.
• Housing: The Prime Minister mentioned an ambitious reform to rethink housing policies, though details were not yet provided.

Environment and Energy Transition

François Bayrou reaffirmed the importance of nuclear energy as a pillar of the ecological transition while announcing a major national conference on water management and the continuation of the national cycling plan. According to him, “Ecology is not a problem, but a solution.”

Yellow Vests and Grievance Books

The head of government also expressed his intention to revisit the grievance books drafted during the Yellow Vests movement. This initiative aims to address the often-overlooked concerns of socially marginalized groups.

New Caledonia: Accelerated Negotiations

Finally, on the New Caledonia issue, François Bayrou announced the start of negotiations with political forces by the end of January. These discussions are expected to conclude by the end of the quarter to stabilize the archipelago’s institutional situation.

Faced with a restless National Assembly, François Bayrou appeared determined to tackle the country’s economic, social, and ecological challenges. Although his government lacks an absolute majority, he relies on the cooperation of social partners and political forces to carry out the announced reforms. A motion of no confidence tabled by La France Insoumise will be voted on this week, testing the stability of the executive branch.