France plans to raise the maximum balance on the Livret A, the country’s most popular savings account, from €22,950 to between €25,000 and €30,000 in February 2027. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the proposal on Tuesday, November 3.
The change is not presented as a boost to household purchasing power: the account ceiling is already reached mainly by wealthier savers. Instead, the government is looking to mobilize funding for public needs, including renovations to middle and high schools.
Livret A savings form part of France’s regulated savings system, alongside the Livret d’épargne populaire and the Livret de développement durable et solidaire. The system allows the Caisse des dépôts et consignations to use deposited funds to provide loans. Its traditional beneficiaries include social housing providers and local authorities; more recently, the funds have also been made available to EDF for new nuclear reactors.
The system held €950 billion in savings at the end of December 2025, according to the article. Le Monde economics columnist Isabelle Chaperon argues that raising the cap risks worsening public debt and says the measure is at odds with Emmanuel Macron’s stated intention to direct French savings towards long-term investments.
The Livret A currently pays 1.7%. The article says its rate is expected to rise in view of inflation at 3.1%.
Sources: Le Monde Économie.