French lawmakers on Thursday will try to reach a budget compromise that can get enough support to avert another government collapse and restore financial certainty for the country.

French budget talks teetered on the brink of collapse on Wednesday, a day after Socialist party officials suspended their participation in protest over remarks about immigration by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou,

French lawmakers are negotiating the 2025 budget bill to restore investor confidence. Critical to this process is the potential no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. Socialist party officials are pivotal in this political drama,

PARIS (Reuters) - French budget talks were on the verge of collapse on Wednesday, a day after Socialist party officials suspended their participation in protest over remarks about immigration by the prime minister. In a television interview on Monday, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou referred to "a feeling of invasion" by immigrants.

French budget talks are moving ahead and must not be "taken hostage" by a dispute over remarks the prime minister made about immigration, government spokeswoman Sophie Primas said on Wednesday.

A month into 2025, France has a dramatic deficit and no budget. Experts say Prime Minister François Bayrou's efforts to win support from the left and right could backfire, leading to the downfall of yet another government.

A small panel of French senators and members of parliament will meet on Thursday to thrash out the final text of a much delayed 2025 budget bill that is key to restoring investor confidence over the country's finances and the government's survival.