French lawmakers adopted by show of hands an amendment removing the property tax exemption that applies to wind turbine masts, during the review of the 2027 budget. They then scrapped, by 72 votes to 63, a second exemption targeting offshore wind. These votes come as the latest onshore wind tender selected capacity barely above the volume called. On the industrial side, Vayona Energy secured 108 MW of wind turbine orders from Continuum Green Energy.

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Heated debates over the role of wind power

Eric Michoux, a lawmaker from the Ciotti-aligned group, attacked the sector in the chamber: "Nuclear produces electricity and wind turbines produce subsidies," denouncing the "green ayatollahs." David Amiel, minister for Public Accounts, defended keeping renewable energy in the French mix. "Depriving ourselves of renewable energy means throwing the door wide open to our dependence on gas, (...) on oil," he said. Philippe Juvin, the rapporteur of the bill, highlighted the risk of undermining contracts that have already been signed.

The identical amendments from the Rassemblement National (RN) and Les Républicains (LR) remove the exemption, during the first year of commissioning, from a tax targeting offshore wind installations. They were adopted by 72 votes to 63. The amendment on the property tax for wind turbine masts had been passed by show of hands.

Rejection of the revenue section remains expected

The vote on the first part of the draft budget, devoted to revenue, will take place after all amendments filed on that section have been reviewed, possibly as early as Wednesday or Thursday. A rejection at first reading appears unavoidable. In that case, the government would send the Senate its original text, without the changes voted in the chamber and without lawmakers reviewing the spending section.

In a National Assembly without a majority, recourse to Article 49, paragraph 3 of the Constitution or to ordinances is already being considered. Perrine Goulet, a Modem (Mouvement démocrate) lawmaker, denounced on Tuesday at a press conference an "unmanageable patchwork" and a "resounding failure of this National Assembly." Eric Coquerel, LFI (La France insoumise) chair of the Finance Committee, suggested the government use the 2026 end-of-year budget adjustment bill to include possible increases in funding for mobilized university and high school students. That text is due to be presented on Wednesday to the Council of Ministers, then debated next week in the Assembly.