French PM Barnier Concedes to RN, Agrees to Maintain Medication Reimbursements in 2025 Budget

Dec 2, 2024, 12:14 PM

In a significant political maneuver, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has agreed to abandon plans to reduce medication reimbursements in 2025. This decision follows a phone conversation with Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, on Monday morning. The move is seen as a concession to the RN, which had previously expressed strong opposition to any reduction in medication reimbursements. The French government's commitment was announced in a statement from Matignon, indicating that the policy shift was a direct result of the discussion between Barnier and Le Pen. This latest concession comes amidst ongoing 2025 budget negotiations and a looming threat of censure.