CONSTITUTION · BUDGET · ACCOUNTABILITY
Why make constitutional review of Finance Acts automatic?
The rule should not depend on whether political actors choose to refer a budget law to the constitutional court.
Document status : Citizen working prototype requiring expert review: these drafts are not opinions of the Conseil d’État, the Constitutional Council or any public institution.
Current law
Article 61 already requires automatic review of Organic Acts, while ordinary statutes are reviewed only when an authorized actor refers them.
Proposal
Add Finance Acts and Social Security Financing Acts to the category of legislation automatically reviewed before promulgation.
Why it matters
A governing majority could not neutralize the budget rule simply by declining to trigger constitutional review.
Scope of review
Review would cover compliance with the balance rule, proper activation of escape clauses, mandatory certification and correction mechanisms.
Working documents and data
Legal and institutional sources
French Constitution, Article 34
French fiscal council — official missions
Organic Budget Act, Article 61