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PARIS — Voici une ligne budgétaire symbolique qui va dégonfler en 2026. Selon un document parlementaire consulté en avant-première par POLITICO, le coût des avantages réservés aux anciens Premiers ministres est estimé à environ 1,2 million d’euros, en baisse d’un demi-million d’euros par rapport à 2025 (1,72 million). Une baisse d’une ampleur inédite depuis 2019, selon les données rassemblées par la députée Marie-Christine Dalloz (LR) dans son rapport spécial au projet de loi de finances.

La diminution a deux explications. D’abord, la disparition de Lionel Jospin en mars et d’Edouard Balladur en août, qui mobilisaient les moyens mis à leur disposition à hauteur de 260 000 euros en 2025. Ensuite, le décret pris par Sébastien Lecornu à son arrivée à Matignon qui met fin, depuis le 1er janvier et de manière rétroactive, à la possibilité pour ses prédécesseurs de bénéficier d’un chauffeur avec véhicule de fonction, dix ans après avoir quitté leurs fonctions.

En théorie, Dominique de Villepin, François Fillon, Alain Juppé, Laurent Fabius, Jean-Marc Ayrault et Edith Cresson ont donc perdu cet avantage. Sauf que cette dernière a obtenu le maintien de cette largesse d’après Mediapart.

Quant à Jean-Pierre Raffarin, il dispose toujours d’un véhicule fourni par le Quai d’Orsay, au titre d’une “mission officielle temporaire et non rémunérée quant aux relations sino-françaises”, avait-il expliqué à l’AFP, après que celui-ci a été impliqué dans un accident à Paris en juin.

Cette réforme devrait faire économiser quelques centaines de milliers d’euros à l’Etat, plus que jamais en quête d’économies. L’enveloppe devrait rester stable par la suite : “La prévision pour 2027 est proche de celle de 2026”, écrit Marie-Christine Dalloz.

Pour rappel, les anciens Premiers ministres bénéficient d’un secrétariat particulier pendant dix ans après la fin de leurs fonctions, et ce jusqu’à 67 ans (ou dix ans pour ceux qui ont quitté Matignon avant 2019, quel que soit leur âge). L’octroi d’un chauffeur avec voiture était un avantage “à vie”, avant la limitation dans le temps introduite par le décret Lecornu.

Interrogée par POLITICO, la députée constate cependant que, de la part des intéressés, “il n’y a pas de volonté de réduction, il y a une utilisation des enveloppes allouées, point final”.

Marie-Christine Dalloz souhaite donc limiter ces deux avantages à cinq ans, dans un amendement qu’elle défendra jeudi en commission des Finances au budget 2027. Economies espérées, l’année prochaine : 520 000 euros.

Attal, Borne, Barnier : trois députés avec chauffeurs

Dans cette enveloppe globalement en baisse, l’ex de Matignon Gabriel Attal fait gonfler l’addition. Sa voiture avec chauffeur a entrainé une dépense, l’année dernière, de plus de 145 000 euros. Contactée, son équipe n’a pas souhaité nous répondre.

En tant que député, il n’a pas le droit à un secrétariat particulier, tout comme Elisabeth Borne. En 2025, l’ex-Première ministre a coûté 26 450 euros. Un montant moins élevé que son successeur à Matignon, qui s’explique par le simple fait qu’elle a été ministre de l’Education nationale jusqu’au 12  octobre 2025. Tous frais compris, ses avantages s’étaient élevés à 110 779 euros en 2024.

François Bayrou a bénéficié d’une voiture de fonction dès son départ de Matignon pour des raisons de sécurité. “Il ne voulait pas de protection en quittant Matignon”, assure un membre de son entourage, mais on lui a opposé une fin de non-recevoir. Lui comme Michel Barnier, âgés de 75 ans, ne peuvent plus bénéficier d’un secrétariat particulier.

Laurent Fabius retrouve aussi l’usage de ces avantages, après avoir quitté sa fonction de président du Conseil constitutionnel en mars 2025.

Edouard Philippe, en tant que maire du Havre, ne peut pour l’instant pas en profiter.

Depuis 2019, Dominique de Villepin et Bernard Cazeneuve, aujourd’hui associé du cabinet d’avocats August Debouzy, se disputent la place de l’ex-chef du gouvernement le plus coûteux. C’est toujours vrai en 2025, en utilisant respectivement des moyens publics à hauteur de 209 597 et 197 007 euros.

NDLR : Paul de Villepin, coauteur de cet article, est un parent éloigné de Dominique de Villepin

Microsoft asked its employees to return to the office three days per week last year, and it's now upping this requirement to four days a week for most Xbox employees. An internal memo, seen by The Verge, describes the change as a "need to create more opportunities for people to work together" after feedback from Xbox employees.

"Starting February 1st, 2027, Xbox employees in Puget Sound who live within 50 commuting miles of Studio D are required to work from the office a minimum of four days a week," says Jacinda Chislum Pearson, Xbox chief people officer, in the internal memo. "We have thousands of Xbox employees within commuting distance …

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BRUSSELS — There is “no logic” to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent moves to take Russia’s side in the Ukraine war, and he should remember his true allies lie in Europe, Finland’s prime minister said Thursday. 

In an exclusive interview with POLITICO, Petteri Orpo summed up the shock and dismay among Ukraine’s allies after Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, and reportedly imposed limits on Kyiv’s access to the military intelligence and technology needed to counter Russian attacks.

“My message to him [Trump] is that we are allies,” Orpo said on the sidelines of the European Council summit in Brussels. “We are in NATO. And what is the biggest threat against NATO? It’s Russia — and that is why there is no logic. I don’t have answers. I have many questions.” 

Trump alarmed European leaders and horrified Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week by announcing a deal to release Russian diesel onto the market, apparently in an attempt to lower fuel costs for American consumers. Ukraine’s allies fear the move will boost Russia’s revenue from fuel sales, giving it more money to spend on war. 

Trump also said Ukraine should stop hitting Russian fossil fuel facilities — as part of what he said was a ceasefire on energy infrastructure — and should replace Zelenskyy. 

Finland is an influential voice among Ukraine’s European allies: The country has the EU’s longest land border with Russia, at 1,300 km, and its president, Alexander Stubb — a talented sportsman — won Trump’s respect on the golf course, giving him leeway to try to influence White House policy.

Orpo said if he were in Trump’s position “I would not trust Putin.” Zelenskyy has said he fears Ukraine is losing the U.S. to Russia’s side in the war, warning the Americans and their president are on “the wrong side of history”. Orpo said he agreed: “I think he is, and they are.” 

Ukraine now faces grave danger, he said. “The sky is open for Russia, there are missiles. They need more military support, air defense,” Orpo said. “Also, the situation is dangerous because of the latest deal between Trump and Putin.”

Midterms move

One possible reason Trump turned against Ukraine with that diesel deal is the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3. “I think it is because of domestic reasons — elections are coming,” Orpo said. “But we need to get them back.” Nonetheless, he said the amount of Russian diesel that could be sold to the U.S. is too small to make much of a difference for American consumers. 

Whatever happens, EU leaders must equip Ukraine with weapons and cash, whether or not they can rely on the U.S., he said. “Today, we need to find a solution [on] how to support Ukraine, how to finance Ukraine in this winter, but also in next year,” Orpo said. “It’s crucial.”

Finland and Sweden are among the countries pushing the European Commission to reopen the fractious debate over how to use Russia’s financial assets currently frozen in European banks, especially in Belgium, which blocked a deal to raid the funds last year over legal concerns. 

“The best solution would be that we will have a solution on how to use frozen assets,” he said. “We have to try again,” Orpo said. 

Finland has asked the Commission “to continue work with Belgium, and the other member states, to find a solution.” He said he hoped to hear an update from the Commission during the summit. “It’s a better solution than using our own money.”

Budget blues

European leaders are arguing this week over their long-term budget, which Brussels officials want to finalize by the end of the year. Many diplomats do not expect a deal this year, and some leaders say they’re in no hurry. 

But others want the budget, worth around €2 trillion, signed off by December because they fear next year’s European elections — especially if far-right leader Marine Le Pen wins the French presidency — will derail negotiations. 

The longer budget negotiations last, the “more difficulties we will have,” Orpo said. “So we have to work to find a solution this year. I understand very well that it is difficult, a huge challenge, but I cannot see how it would be easier next year, because in France elections are coming, for example.”

Finland also has an election coming up in April 2027. Orpo’s center-right National Coalition Party is struggling in the polls. “This time has been very difficult,” he said. “But, finally, our economy is growing.”

Orpo’s Swedish sister party, the Moderates, mounted a late surge in last month’s election. Although that seems unlikely to keep them in office, Sweden’s Moderates still have a slim chance, even though many commentators had written them off long before the vote.

“They did excellent campaign work, and in the end of the day, people vote Moderates, not populist or socialist,” Orpo said. “I would like the same in Finland.”

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