France’s PM Proposes Scrapping Two Public Holidays in Controversial Budget Push

French Prime Minister François Bayrou has ignited a political firestorm with a bold proposal to eliminate two national public holidays—Easter Monday and May 8th—as part of his 2026 budget plan aimed at curbing public spending and bolstering defense funding.

The proposal, unveiled this week, is already stirring fierce debate. Bayrou argued that France’s cluster of spring holidays, particularly in May, disrupts economic productivity, likening the month to “gruyère cheese—full of holes.” Still, he stressed openness to alternative ideas, saying the public holiday cuts are “not set in stone” but part of a broader discussion on fiscal responsibility.

May 8th, a deeply symbolic date marking the end of World War II in Europe, holds particular emotional weight in France. Its potential removal has already triggered criticism from veterans’ groups and opposition parties, who accuse the government of eroding historical memory for budgetary gain.

Bayrou’s budget blueprint reflects a broader balancing act—tightening public finances while pledging increased investment in national defense amid rising geopolitical tensions.

However, with a fragile parliamentary majority, the proposal faces a precarious path ahead.

The controversy mirrors similar moves in other European nations where governments, under fiscal pressure, have floated reducing public holidays or social benefits. But France, with its historically strong labor protections and reverence for national commemorations, could prove especially resistant to such changes.

Whether Bayrou’s gamble pays off—or backfires—will depend on his ability to rally both political allies and public opinion in the months ahead.