France finally has a budget and, for now at least, a government to go with it. In this episode of So French, Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries unpack how Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu pushed the 2026 budget through parliament using the notorious Article 49.3, why the Socialists backed away from a no-confidence vote, and what this very French political drama tells us about power, compromise, and fatigue. From Paris, the conversation widens to the world stage. At Davos, Emmanuel Macron warned against a global slide toward rule by force. At home, his stance is fiercely debated. Polls suggest the French are anxious, divided, and increasingly uncertain about where allies end and threats begin. Then, a classic So French twist. We turn to Menton on the French Riviera, where Louis Sarkozy, son of Nicolas Sarkozy, is making his first bid for office. Raised in the United States, outspoken, controversial, and backed locally by parts of the Macron camp, Sarkozy junior is stirring unease across the political spectrum and offering a glimpse of what the 2027 presidential landscape might start to look like. We wrap up with a quick note for international listeners, as the Louvre Museum raises ticket prices sharply for non-European visitors, reigniting debate over culture, access, and identity. French politics, global anxiety, dynastic ambition, and a touch of absurdity. Exactly as promised.
