French premier buys time to pass 2025 budget with concessions

Political tightrope: Bayrou speaking at the National Assembly in Paris. If the budget efforts are judged too meagre, doubts will persist among investors over whether rising public debt can be curtailed. — AFP

FRENCH Prime Minister (PM) Francois Bayrou appears to have bought himself at least a few months in power by offering to renegotiate a contested 2023 pension law, securing the tacit backing of enough lawmakers to adopt an urgently needed budget.

The premier said labour and business unions will be tasked with negotiating changes that could include halting the planned increase in the minimum retirement age to 64 from 62.