France prepares targeted measures to ease fuel price pressure

ISTANBUL

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Thursday that the government is preparing new “targeted” measures to support motorists facing rising fuel prices, while insisting there is no supply shortage in the country.

Speaking in Bordeaux, Lecornu said ministers have been instructed to present proposals “early next week” to address the impact of higher fuel costs on households.

“I am in favor of targeted aid. Therefore, ministers have been instructed to submit new proposals to me early next week,” he said, emphasizing that assistance should focus on those most affected.

He added that people who rely on their vehicles for daily activities “undoubtedly deserve targeted assistance.”

Despite public concerns, Lecornu sought to reassure that supply remains stable. “There is no shortage” of fuel in France, he said, adding there is no “volume crisis.” However, he acknowledged that some service stations, particularly those offering lower prices, are facing “logistical problems.”

The government is also examining whether higher fuel prices could generate additional tax revenues that may be redirected toward broader economic or environmental policies, including decarbonization efforts.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 million barrels of oil pass daily, has been effectively disrupted since early March following Iranian measures taken in retaliation for the US-Israeli offensive on Iran that began Feb. 28.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged European allies and Gulf states to take a more active role in securing the strait, arguing that countries dependent on its oil should bear responsibility for reopening it.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.