French officials propose linking ministerial pay to budget results

Proposals are emerging in France to link the salaries of government officials to fiscal performance and budgetary outcomes.

Deputy Gérault Verny has introduced a constitutional bill that would suspend the salaries and allowances of ministers and parliamentarians if they participate in the adoption of a deficit budget. The proposal aims to establish “budgetary responsibility,” suggesting that if public finances deviate significantly and persistently from the trajectory approved by Parliament, and no recovery plan is presented within 30 days, compensation would be suspended.

Complementing this, the IFRAP foundation argues that simple salary cuts, such as the 10% reduction considered for the 2027 budget, offer only symbolic savings. IFRAP calculates that a 10% cut for the 35 government members would save only about 455,000 euros annually, whereas extending it to ministerial cabinets could reach 6 million euros.

Instead, IFRAP suggests a model similar to Singapore, where a portion of political remuneration is tied to economic indicators such as GDP growth, income evolution, and unemployment. They propose linking pay to public finance results, including the primary balance, public spending trends, and the management of departmental staff, to ensure political impact aligns with fiscal reality.