In a significant move this week, French Senators have adopted an amendment to the 2025 budget aimed at stripping former Presidents and Prime Ministers of their perks. The initiative, spearheaded by Senator Nathalie Goulet, seeks to save nearly 3 million euros by eliminating these advantages. Goulet expressed her triumph on social media platform X, tweeting, “End of the advantages of presidents and former prime ministers, it has been voted and here come the savings.”
The amendment text argues, “There is no reason to maintain the resources of the Republic for citizens who no longer serve it on the grounds that they used to serve it.” By reducing these privileges, the French economy stands to gain 2.8 million euros, a figure representing the expenses related to former heads of state and prime ministers in 2023. Goulet justified the cuts, stating, “They are not the Republic’s great needy people, they all have a certain number of pensions and all have consulting positions.”
Former French Prime Ministers are traditionally entitled to a chauffeur-driven car and a secretariat, unless they already have such provisions through other public functions. These expenses surged to 1.42 million euros in 2023, marking an 11% increase from the previous year, according to a budget report by Member of Parliament Marie-Christine Dalloz. The report highlights that former PMs Bernard Cazeneuve, Dominique de Villepin, and Jean-Pierre Raffarin incurred the heaviest expenses, totaling 201,387 euros, 197,534 euros, and 167,467 euros, respectively.
Former Presidents of the Republic are also entitled to a vehicle with a driver, an office staffed by seven members and two service agents, and furnished premises equipped at the State’s expense. Their activities related to former functions are covered by the State, and if they have not been in power for more than five years, their office is reduced to three members and one service agent. Dalloz’s report indicates that 1.32 million euros were paid in 2023 for former Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande.
These former leaders may also receive police protection for security reasons, provided by the National Police Protection Service.
Michel Barnier, the last Prime Minister to leave office, had previously advocated for fiscal restraint in a challenging budgetary environment. During a national news bulletin appearance last November, he urged former heads of government to “make efforts” and suggested improvements to the State’s standard of living, advocating for sobriety and simplicity. His proposal may now be realized.
Senator Michel Canevet supported the amendment, stating, “When we ask the French to make an effort, they would not understand if the State did not start with itself by avoiding unnecessary spending.”
However, the government remains opposed to such cost-cutting measures. For instance, Elisabeth Borne, former PM and now Minister of Education, believes that “protection and security seem appropriate in her case” due to the unpopularity of several reforms she implemented during her tenure.
Patrick Mignola, the Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament, justified the continuation of these services, saying, “It is appropriate, however, in a world as dangerous as ours, with on-the-ground delinquency or with international risks that can be aggression, espionage, that we imagine that former personalities who have occupied very important functions in the Republic can have a travel service and especially protection.”
The final adoption of this amendment will occur only after the legislative shuttle process, which involves a vote by the National Assembly or the Lower House of the French Parliament.
