France launches citizens' convention on debt, taxes, spending ahead of election

France's Economic, Social, and Environmental Council will convene ~150 randomly selected citizens starting November to deliberate on debt, taxes, and public spending, aiming to bring budget debates into the public sphere before the 2027 presidential election. The convention's conclusions are non-binding for the government and Parliament, so its impact is uncertain. This is a notable experiment in participatory democracy, but it does not directly alter fiscal policy.