The lower house of French parliament on Tuesday narrowly approved a social security budget, clearing a major hurdle for Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu as he seeks to finalise a 2026 spending plan by year-end.

The National Assembly backed the measure, which includes the suspension of an unpopular pension reform, by 247 votes to 234, and it will now head back to the Senate before returning to the lower chamber.

Lecornu hailed the outcome of Tuesday's vote, thanking what he called a "responsible majority".

France, the eurozone's second-largest economy, is under pressure to cut its budget deficit but efforts have been hamstrung by a fragmented parliament, the result of snap elections President Emmanuel Macron called last year.

The premier has promised to secure approval for a spending pl

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