Senate President Says France Too Broke to Navigate More Crises
Speaking to a broadcaster, Gérard Larcher delivered a frank diagnosis of the country's deteriorating public finances, warning that structural failures over the past decade have left the nation dangerously exposed.
"Over-indebted and overtaxed," France is no longer in a position to absorb shocks," Larcher said bluntly, insisting that citizens deserve full transparency about the country's predicament.
"The truth must be told to the French," he said, adding that current difficulties reflect decisions taken over the past decade.
The Senate chief placed blame squarely on years of fiscal inaction and unchecked pandemic-era expenditure, citing a failure to rein in public spending or push through meaningful state reform.
"We are paying for the lack of decisions over the past ten years. We are paying for the 'whatever it takes,'" he said, referring to pandemic-era spending policies.
Notably, Larcher extended his criticism to include President Emmanuel Macron's two terms in office, calling for a nationwide conversation in the coming year on corrective measures.
His remarks followed a government announcement of between €4 billion (roughly $4.3 billion) and €6 billion ($6.4 billion) in spending reductions, a direct response to economic pressures stemming from the Middle East war. Larcher signaled that such measures may only be the beginning, pointing to an upcoming oversight session as a key indicator of what lies ahead.
"There will be another meeting in June of the public finances alert committee, and we will see, depending on international developments, whether there will be a need for additional freezes or reinforced spending cuts," he noted.
Larcher added that legislators have been closely tracking the fiscal situation, having already raised alarms with the government during parliamentary debates over the 2026 national budget.
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