France’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, announced that lifetime privileges for former government members will be abolished. He shared this on X, reports Adyrna.
According to him, the decree will come into effect on January 1, 2026.
“The Republic must protect individuals who face threats, but it is unreasonable for them to enjoy lifetime privileges simply because of a temporary position they once held,” he said.
The Prime Minister explained that one such privilege is police protection. From now on, this benefit will be granted only to former prime ministers and interior ministers, for a limited period, and extended only depending on the level of actual threat.
Currently, French law entitles former officials to use a government car with a driver and a personal secretary for 10 years, until the age of 67.
According to official data, in 2019 the state spent about €1.6 million on cars and assistants for ex-officials, and another €2.8 million on their police protection.
It is worth noting that earlier, the new Prime Minister rejected François Bayrou’s proposal to eliminate two public holidays as a way to reduce the budget deficit.
