France’s government announced on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, a €450 million aid package to blunt a fuel price surge that pushed the average diesel price to €2.39 a litre.

The spending lifts the state’s total for the year to €1.4 billion, Budget Minister David Amiel said. The main measure doubles, from €0.20 to €0.40 a litre, the subsidy for low-income workers who drive for a living and expands the number of beneficiaries from 3 million to 5.5 million, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said. The tax-exempt ceiling on the fuel allowance employers can pay rises from €600 to €1,000 a year. Aid to fishing, farming and construction was extended to 31 December 2026, and fishermen who blocked Mediterranean ports last week will have up to 70% of their cost increase covered, plus access to zero-interest loans. Economy and Finance Minister Roland Lescure said there was no concern about supplies over the next two months. The surge stems from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel bombed Iran in February 2026, according to Politico and the Xinhua news agency, in a dispatch carried by Big News Network.