French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has confirmed a policy change for the nation’s best-known savings vehicle. During a session at the National Assembly on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the government announced that the ceiling for the Livret A—currently capped at 22,950 euros—will be raised to a range between 25,000 and 30,000 euros this coming February, answering a question from the leader of the Liot deputies, Christophe Naegelen, who had asked for the launch of a major national loan.
As Le Monde reported, the move comes as the government grapples with declining deposits; in September alone, French savers withdrew 1.52 billion euros more than they deposited, according to data published on October 22 by the Caisse des Dépôts. The move is intended to mobilize French household savings while unlocking capital for critical national infrastructure projects.
Strategic Reallocation of Household Savings
The Livret A has historically functioned as a bedrock for social housing finance. However, the current government is signaling a broader mandate for these regulated funds. Beyond its traditional role, the state intends to use this pool of savings to support the construction of new nuclear reactors and to bankroll an ambitious national plan for climate change adaptation, including the retrofitting of public buildings and infrastructure. Matignon explains that this relèvement aims to mobiliser l’épargne des Français
through the savings tool that is le plus connu
and which offre de la liquidité,
while recalling that funds deposited in the Livret A also finance electricity networks, water networks, and la rénovation des lycées et des collèges.
The Livret A, like the Livret de développement durable et solidaire (LDDS), forms part of regulated savings products where placed funds are remunerated at 1.7%.
Saluant dans l'épargne un "beau sujet financier" et "citoyen", le Premier ministre @SebLecornu a annoncé un relèvement du plafond du Livret A au mois de février. Il a précisé qu'il se situerait dès lors "dans une fourchette entre 25 et 30.000 euros". #QAG pic.twitter.com/NYBAibreja
This pivot toward industrial and environmental financing has not been without controversy. A collective of left-wing lawmakers, labor unions, and non-profit organizations recently called for the removal of the government’s plan to use regulated savings for nuclear energy, citing fears that such a move could undermine the long-term solvency of social housing projects. Despite these protests, the government is proceeding with its plan, framing the Livret A as a vital tool for mobilizing public savings toward essential national transitions.
The February Financial Overhaul
The ceiling hike is timed to coincide with a broader recalibration of the product’s economics. The interest rate on the Livret A, which was increased to 1.7% last August compared to 1.5% previously, is also slated for an increase in February—potentially climbing to 2.5% or higher. Meanwhile, the rate for the Livret d’épargne populaire, reserved for modest households, is maintained at 2.5%. This dual adjustment seeks to provide a more attractive yield to savers while ensuring the state can access the liquidity required for its 2027 budget priorities, which include financing up to 60% of the construction of six new EPR2 nuclear reactors within a 60-billion-euro loan limit.
The exact final figure for the new ceiling remains a subject of ongoing negotiation. Prime Minister Lecornu emphasized that the precise limit within the 25,000 to 30,000-euro range is still being finalized. Il y a encore une dernière concertation, un travail à faire avec la place bancaire, avec Bercy et avec la Caisse des dépôts, pour une fourchette entre 25 et 30 000 euros,
Lecornu stated, noting that Minister of Finance Roland Lescure will provide the definitive details dans les semaines qui viendront
following a dernière concertation
with the banks and the Caisse des dépôts.
Addressing the Power of Purchase
How much of that increased ceiling will actually be utilized by French households is unclear once the new policy takes effect in February.
