A “white year” in France in 2026: who could be the most impacted?

• François Bayrou announced on Tuesday wanting to resort to a “white year” in 2026.
• A year which would then see a frost of the tax scale, social benefits and pensions.
• Who would be most impacted by this measure? Consequently, An analyst from the French Observatory for Economic Conditions offers a calculation.

François Bayrou wants a “white year” in 2026. For example, The Prime Minister announced. For example, during the presentation of his budget “white year” france 2026: who plan for next year, wanting to use a freeze on the tax of taxes, social benefits and pensions (new window). Similarly, “We will have exactly the same amount of pensions for each pensioner as those we had in 2025”, he said. In addition, “All social benefits will be maintained in 2026 at their 2025 level and there will be no exception”, he said. For example,

“The scales of income tax. Furthermore, general social contribution will also be maintained at their level this year”, has further advanced François Bayrou. Moreover, According to him, this measure would limit the increase in expenses of “Seven billion euros”. But who would be the most affected? Pierre Madec. an analyst of the French Observatory of Economic Conditions (OFCE), had made a calculation last June, in a note published on the organization’s website (new window).

Retirees on “white year” france 2026: who the front line

According to him. the white year proposed by the government would allow a budgetary economy “of the order of six billion euros”one billion less than announced by François Bayrou. But the document offers only an estimate based on chosen data. According to calculations by the OFCE analyst. “THE pensions of pensions would carry a large part of the budgetary effort” or 3.7 billion euros, “Monitoring of social benefits excluding unemployment benefits” with 800 million euros and “Finally unemployment benefits (around 400 million euros)”. “The total freeze of the income tax scale would report, according to our estimates, around 1.2 billion euros in 2026”further details Pierre Madec.

In detail. the 10 million households whose reference person is retired “Would see their disposable income reduced by 280 euros per unit of average consumption (350 euros per cleaning) or around 1% of their standard of living”, points the analyst. For employees, the loss would be around 70 euros (-0.2%) and 100 euros for the self-employed (-0.2%). Fifteen million households would be affected in 2026 for the first and 2.4 million for the latter.

Regarding households whose reference person is unemployed (1.3 million), the OFCE specialist estimates that the loss would amount to 120 euros “white year” france 2026: who per unit of consumption. Moreover. “In euros per cleaning, the more the standard of living increases, the more the impact of a potential ‘white year’ would be important”, points the analysis of the organization which specifies that “The 5% of the highest households would see their disposable income amputated of around 260 euros per unit of consumption (390 euros per household)” Against around 100 euros for households with the lowest income.

But relating to the percentage of the standard of living. it is the least favored households who would see this index drop, by 1% against 0.3% for households with the highest income. Data that remains to be confirmed with the work which will be carried out in the months to come on this budgetary plan while this “white year” is not yet assured: from the national gathering to rebellious France. the reactions were lively against “white year” france 2026: who the project carried by François Bayrou and the threats of censorship multiplied following his speech.