The IMF said France must secure timely approval of its budget to preserve fiscal credibility and restore market confidence. IMF Fiscal Affairs Director Rodrigo Valdés, speaking in Bangkok at the IMF annual meetings, said heavily indebted France can no longer delay fiscal reform and that timely means the budget must be implemented without weakening amendments. The minority government’s draft 2027 budget targets a 5% of GDP deficit — consistent with its earlier target but likely to be breached thi

The IMF said France must secure timely approval of its budget to preserve fiscal credibility and restore market confidence. IMF Fiscal Affairs Director Rodrigo Valdés, speaking in Bangkok at the IMF annual meetings, said heavily indebted France can no longer delay fiscal reform and that timely means the budget must be implemented without weakening amendments. The minority government’s draft 2027 budget targets a 5% of GDP deficit — consistent with its earlier target but likely to be breached this year — and remains above the EU 3% limit. A divided parliament begins review this week, and opposition resistance to spending cuts and revenue measures casts doubt on the bill’s passage.