France is ending the year as it began – mired in political turmoil, after lawmakers once again failed to agree on a budget before the year-end deadline.

The standoff underscores deep divisions inside parliament and growing challenges for President Emmanuel Macron, who has been governing without a clear majority since last year's European elections. Throughout 2025, French politics has been dominated by one pressing question: how to pass a budget in a fractured assembly.

Without a majority, the government has depended on fragile alliances, while opposition parties on both the left and right have repeatedly blocked key legislation. Earlier this year, the deadlock forced Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to step aside, only to be reinstated days later, a move that highlighted the scale of political paralysis in Paris.

Now, with the deadline missed again, analysts warn that the government's grip on power is weakening. Political analyst Christophe Barbier says even the Prime Minister himself has acknowledged his lack of authority. 

"He said 'I am the weakest Prime Minister of the French history of the last 50 years,' and it is the truth," Barbier tells CGTN. "He gets no power; he gets no liberty to rule the country."

For many voters, that perceived lack of clout and direction is fueling frustration. On the streets of Paris, Monique said the uncertainty is taking its toll. "It's demoralizing. We don't know where we are anymore. We don't even know who we're voting for."

Stopgap avoids shutdown

To avoid an immediate crisis, the government now plans to rely on a special stopgap law, allowing it to continue spending at last year's levels while budget talks resume in the new year. 

But critics warn that the temporary fix only delays the inevitable, and Barbier argues the situation remains highly unstable. 

"The government's position is very uncomfortable," he says. "Every day, everything can crash. And we could have a shutdown in France, because there is no majority."

The stopgap may avert an immediate shutdown, but it also freezes new policies and pushes uncertainty into 2026, as pressure mounts on a leadership already weakened by months of deadlock.

Not everyone, though, is convinced the crisis is as bad as it sounds. Philippe, another Parisian, told CGTN: "The political uncertainty in France makes me laugh, because France is one of the wealthiest countries in the world."

Still, the deadlock is narrowing the Prime Minister's room to maneuver and raising fresh questions about the strength of Macron's presidency. With no budget in place, confidence in the government continues to erode.

The next presidential election is not due until 2027, but the pressure is already building. Depending on what happens in the coming months, the pressure on Macron to bring that vote forward could become immense.

For now, France heads into the new year without a budget – and with its government characterized by ongoing political uncertainty.