Finance Bill: Bérenger denounces an “unacceptable” parliamentary calendar

The timetable chosen by the government for the examination of the Finance Bill 2026 and the Economic and Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 is at the heart of the Fron Militan Progress (FMP) protest. Its leader, Paul Bérenger, believes that deputies, unions and other parties concerned do not have the time necessary to study two texts whose scope, according to him, requires in-depth examination.

Meeting on Saturday in Rose-Hill after his party's central committee, Paul Bérenger described as "unreasonable and unacceptable" the decision to submit the two bills to the different parliamentary stages during the same session, scheduled for Tuesday July 28.

The Finance Bill, presented each year after the budget speech, contains the provisions necessary for the implementation of the measures announced by the government. The Economic and Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 is intended to modify 58 different pieces of legislation in order to integrate several budgetary measures.

It is precisely this scale that worries the leader of the FMP. According to him, a text modifying so many laws cannot be examined in such a short period of time. “Parliamentarians, unions and stakeholders must have time to study the provisions and express their observations,” he believes.

Paul Bérenger recalls that parliamentary practices generally provide for a delay between the first reading of a bill and the opening of debates, in order to allow elected officials and the organizations concerned to analyze the texts. For him, scheduling the first, second and third readings during the same session constitutes a departure from the very spirit of the established procedure.

This criticism takes on a particular dimension with the Finance Bill, which notably contains provisions relating to the reform of the old age pension. The leader of the FMP believes that the unions should have had more time to consult their members and formulate their proposals before examining the text.

Basically, Paul Bérenger considers that the Finance Bill confirms the maintenance of the reform of the State Age Pension, despite the protests expressed since the presentation of the Budget. He affirms that the government retains the principle of a gradual increase in the pension reference age and replaces Income Support intended for 60-65 year olds with a new calculation mechanism.

According to him, this new formula makes the system more difficult to understand for future retirees. The amount of the pension will now depend on the age at which a person chooses to claim it: leaving before the reference age will result in a reduction, while leaving later will give rise to an increase.

For the leader of the FMP, a reform affecting retirement and public finances requires a broader debate. He therefore calls on the government to review its timetable in order to allow