France, Oct. 18 -- A fresh downgrade to France's credit rating has sharpened calls for action in Paris, with ministers urging unity to get the 2026 budget over the line.

France's economy minister has described a fresh cut to the country's credit rating as "a wake-up call" for lawmakers to finally pass the 2026 budget, as political gridlock continues to cloud the economic outlook.

Roland Lescure told Franceinfo radio on Saturday that the downgrade by S&P Global was "an additional cloud to a weather report that is already quite grey", urging parliament to rally behind the government's draft spending plan.

The warning comes as France, one of the most indebted countries in the European Union, struggles to get its 2026 budget through a frac...