Adoption of the 2026 Budget Law: A New Step Forward
The adoption procedure for the 2026 budget law (PLF) has officially come to an end. On December 10, 2025, the President of the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP), Ibrahim Bouderbala, announced the transmission of the text to the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, after the completion of parliamentary work.
A Long Discussion Process
The 2026 PLF was discussed for several weeks in both chambers of the Tunisian Parliament:
- First adopted by the ARP on December 4, 2025
- Then examined and amended by the National Council of Regions and Districts (CNRD)
A joint committee composed of members from both chambers attempted to reconcile the differences between the two versions of the text from December 7 to 9. However, it failed to reach an agreement on certain sensitive articles of the bill, particularly on technical points such as the retirement of parliamentarians or specific tax aspects.
Transmission to the President
According to the procedure provided by law (Decree-Law No. 1 of 2024), in the absence of a compromise, it is the version adopted by the ARP that is now transmitted to the President of the Republic.
What's in the 2026 Budget?
The text of the budget law presents several important budgetary orientations:
- A state budget for 2026 set at approximately 79.6 billion dinars, an increase compared to 2025, with a large share dedicated to current and social expenses
- A forecast of a decrease in public debt service in 2026, allowing for budgetary breathing room
Additionally, the budget debate included discussions on social issues such as wage and pension increases, which have been incorporated into the legal framework of the PLF.
The Final Institutional Step
The transmission of the 2026 PLF to the Head of State opens the last institutional stage: the President of the Republic may promulgate it or request constitutional adjustments before its publication in the Official Journal of the Republic of Tunisia (JORT).
