France to ban gas boilers in new buildings from 2027, prime minister says

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Friday announced plans to phase out gas boilers in new constructions from 2027, as part of a broader push to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen energy sovereignty.

In a nationwide address, Lecornu said that “by the end of 2026, it will no longer be possible to install gas boilers in new buildings."

The measure comes amid heightened concerns over energy security following recent tensions in the Middle East, which Lecornu said highlighted how global crises directly affect household costs in France.

“As long as we depend on oil and gas, we will continue to pay the price of other people’s wars,” he said, stressing that energy policy must be treated as a matter of national security rather than just a market issue.

The government will simultaneously expand support for alternatives, particularly heat pumps, to replace gas- and oil-based heating systems. Public subsidies will be redirected to accelerate electrification, with the aim of installing up to one million heat pumps annually by 2030.

Lecornu said the policy is designed to protect households from volatile fuel prices while boosting domestic industry, noting that electricity produced in France is cheaper than fossil fuels.

The transition will also target social housing, where a significant share of homes still rely on gas heating. The government plans to convert 2 million social housing units away from gas by 2050, prioritizing vulnerable households.

More broadly, France aims to replace 85 terawatt-hours of gas consumption with domestically produced energy by 2030, equivalent to its current gas imports.

He framed the shift as part of a wider economic and strategic agenda, linking energy independence to national sovereignty.

“Electrifying France is both an individual and collective necessity,” Lecornu said, adding that the transition would be implemented through long-term planning while ensuring that “no one is left behind.”

The government is also pushing to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles, with a target for two out of three new cars sold by 2030 to be electric, supported by subsidies and social leasing schemes for lower-income households.

Lecornu said further details of the reforms would be presented by ministers in the coming days.