French taxi protests test PM's budget-cutting resolve

Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.

The government wants to save €150 million out of the €6 billion it spends yearly on patient transport. But many drivers rely heavily on this income and say the cuts threaten their livelihoods. Since mid-May, protests have taken place in Paris, with some drivers sleeping in their cars and even threatening to block airports and the French Open.

Sandra Vialatte, a taxi company manager, said the industry has suggested ways to save money, but the government refuses to listen.

France’s public deficit is the highest in the eurozone, and Bayrou argues that everyone must make sacrifices to fix public finances. However, critics from both the left and right accuse the government of unfairly targeting drivers.

The government says it must stay firm to meet its savings goals, as budget issues are affecting not just healthcare, but also defense spending and France’s economic credibility in the EU.

Copied