France, Feb. 18 -- The Senate has adopted the 2025 health budget, the final chapter in France's tumultuous months-long budget process that felled the previous government. Francois Bayrou's government can heave a sigh of relief, but the final budget falls short of the belt-tightening initially envisaged.

The upper house Senate, dominated by the right and centre-right, approved Monday the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) with 225 votes to 104.

Public Accounts Minister Amelie de Montchalin had asked senators to "move as quickly as possible out of this period of uncertainty and instability" by adopting the health budget, nearly four months after it was first submitted to parliament.

The Senate vote on France's deficit-ridden public h...