Statistics agency halves GDP growth for 2024 as parliament adopts first part of next year’s budget
Investors fear dispute over planned tax rises and spending cuts could topple Michel Barnier’s government
Brussels calls out some fiscal hawks for veering from bloc’s spending limits for member states
Pressure to display fiscal discipline is no less high than pressure to spend more on security and economic innovation
The political class needs to relearn the value of fiscal discipline
Michel Barnier’s new government walks tightrope in a fragile economic climate
Finance minister says Brussels should show solidarity instead of pursuing Warsaw under bloc’s excessive deficit procedure
Despite efforts to lower deficit, fund managers say spreads on France’s debt likely to remain elevated
Gap between two countries’ 10-year bond yields falls to lowest level since 2008
Paris says it will submit road map on compliance with EU fiscal rules by October 31
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We now have an important ingredient for progress that we did not in the past — political will
Stalemate threatens to delay progress in shrinking deficits, which remain well in excess of EU rules
Central bank warns of fiscal challenges including ageing populations, extra defence spending and climate change
EU officials fear bigger battle with Paris on budget rules if far right or left take power after election
S&P warns debt ratios will only worsen in coming years and put Paris’s 2027 target for controlling deficit out of reach
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Poland and others push to be exempt from ‘excessive deficit procedure’ owing to their high defence spending
Finance minister says nation needs ‘wake-up call’ on excessive spending
Many EU countries with biggest shortfalls have high levels of debt and budget deficits
The UK’s spending rules and procedures are not working
Attempts designed to encourage probity from politicians mostly end up pushing them to game the system
Government pledges another €10bn in cuts due to lower than expected economic expansion
Changes to Stability and Growth Pact will increase pressure on governments to spend less