French Parliament’s Finance and Budget Committee Suspends Review of the 2026 Finance Bill
Date: Monday, 1 September 2025
The Finance and Budget Committee met on 1 September and decided not to examine the 2026 Finance Bill until the government rectifies breaches of Articles 40 and 62 of the 2019 Organic Budget Law (LOB).
Background: What the Law Requires
| Article | Requirement | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 40 (2) | The government must submit to the Assembly of the People’s Representatives (ARP) the assumptions and main orientations of the State’s budget for the following year. | End of July each year |
| 62 (3) | The government must present to the ARP a report on budget execution and on the implementation of the current year’s Finance Law. | End of the first semester of each fiscal year |
The committee stressed that these provisions give the parliamentary assembly explicit powers in budget preparation (Article 40) and a control mission during budget execution (Article 62).
Key Points from the Committee’s Debate
-
Violation of Article 40 (2)
- The government has not delivered the required budget assumptions and strategic guidelines for 2026 by the July deadline.
- The committee argues this omission undermines the Assembly’s constitutional role in shaping the budget.
-
Non‑application of Article 62 (3)
- No mid‑year report on the execution of the 2025 budget has been provided to the ARP.
- Without this report, Parliament cannot exercise its oversight function as mandated by the organic law.
-
Unfulfilled Request for a Ministerial Hearing
- In July, the committee asked for a hearing with the current Minister of Finance to:
- Review the progress of the 2025 budget execution.
- Discuss possible new measures for the 2026 Finance Bill, in line with the agreement reached with the former Finance Minister and the principle of state continuity.
- The hearing never took place, despite the minister’s commitment to hold it in July.
- In July, the committee asked for a hearing with the current Minister of Finance to:
Parliamentary Stance
- Demand for Greater Legislative Influence – Deputies called for a more significant role for the legislative assembly during both the budget drafting and execution phases.
- Call for Government Action – The committee urged the executive to act on parliamentary proposals, emphasizing the need for complementarity between the Legislative and Executive branches.
- Reference to the “Financial Constitution” – The breaches are described as attacks on the “financial constitution of the State,” highlighting the gravity of non‑compliance.
What This Means for the 2026 Finance Bill
Until the government complies with the procedural requirements of Articles 40 and 62, the Finance and Budget Committee will withhold its review of the 2026 Finance Bill. This suspension signals a potential delay in the legislative process and underscores the growing tension between the Algerian parliament and the executive over fiscal transparency and oversight.
Keywords: Algerian Parliament, Finance Bill 2026, Organic Budget Law, Article 40, Article 62, budget oversight, legislative-executive relations, fiscal transparency, state continuity.
