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Il a annoncé qu'il aurait repoussé l'échéance.

Il a annoncé qu'il aurait repoussé l'échéance.
He announced that he would have postponed the deadline.
From Lesson 312:Backshifting the future perfect·French

Questions & Answers about Il a annoncé qu'il aurait repoussé l'échéance.

Why is aurait repoussé (the past conditional) used here instead of a future tense?
Because the main verb (a annoncé) is in the past, reported speech rules require us to backshift the tense. If his original direct quote was in the futur antérieur (J'aurai repoussé - I will have postponed), it must shift to the conditionnel passé (aurait repoussé) when reported in the past.
Does this mean the deadline was actually postponed?
Not necessarily. Out of context, aurait repoussé can have two meanings here. It could be the backshifted futur antérieur (he said: I will have postponed it by then). Or, it could be a hypothetical past conditional (he said: I would have postponed it [if I had the choice]). You would need more context to know which he meant.
Why use repoussé for postponed? Doesn't that mean pushed?
Yes, the verb pousser means to push, so repousser literally means to push back. Just like in English, pushing back a deadline or meeting is the most natural, everyday way to say you are postponing it. You can also use the verb reporter.
What is the difference between l'échéance and la date limite?
They are often used interchangeably to mean the deadline. La date limite specifically emphasizes a strict cut-off date, while l'échéance can mean a deadline, a due date (like for a bill), or the expiration of a contract.

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