By Farah Mokrani • Published: 29 Sep 2025 • 12:05 • 2 minutes readFrench PM Sébastien Lecornu rules out austerity budget. Credit : Antonin Albert, ShutterstockSebastien Lecornu, France’s recently appointed Prime Minister, has promised to unveil his new government at the start of October while firmly ruling out any return to austerity politics. “It is out of the question to prepare a budget of austerity and social regression,” he told the paper, signalling a different approach to France’s finances. A budget without ‘social regression’Instead of sweeping cuts, Lecornu said his draft budget will target a deficit of 4.7 per cent of GDP in 2025, slightly higher than Bayrou’s proposed 4.6 per cent. With the parliamentary session opening on Wednesday and street protests looming, the countdown is on for Lecornu to deliver both his cabinet and his budget.