deficit

Le Pen’s dilemma in France: Stateswoman or saboteur?

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France’s far-right leader must decide whether to wreck things or play nice — while keeping the 2027 presidential election firmly in her sights.

Macron working to strip far right of influence on next French government

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The French president is trying to limit the far-right National Rally’s influence and find a way forward with the center left, but a path ahead remains elusive.

Eurogroup chief expresses ‘absolute confidence’ in resolution of French budget crisis

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High debt levels and fiscal deficit are “a challenge” to the eurozone’s second largest economy.
The post Eurogroup chief expresses ‘absolute confidence’ in resolution of French budget crisis appeared first on Euractiv.

Treat France as strictly as us, say Dutch

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Need for Paris to cut spending is “in the interest of Europe as a whole,” says Netherlands finance minister.

A stopgap budget meant to stave off US-style shutdown in France is ready

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The outgoing government prepared the special legislation as Macron aims to find a new prime minister within days.

Bracing for a Russian attack: EU defense chief wants €100B for weapons

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Andrius Kubilius is the EU’s first defense and space commissioner.

Europe in the line of fire as Trump threatens trade war with China

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Trump’s punitive tariffs would put Brussels under pressure to cut a defensive deal to fend off a glut of Chinese exports.

Macron to Le Pen: I’m not going anywhere

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The French president said he would appoint a new prime minister “in the coming days.”

French government collapse is one more blow to Macron’s EU stature

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“This entire politico-institutional sequence since the European elections shows a loss of French influence across all EU institutions.”

Hungary to lose €1B in EU funds by year-end

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Cash allocated for poorer regions will be gone for good unless Hungary completes reforms asked by the Commission.

French government collapse turns the screws on Macron

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Prime Minister Michel Barnier will leave office having served the shortest prime ministerial term in modern French history.

For France’s Le Pen, it’s Barnier now, maybe Macron next

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France’s far-right leader has brought the government to its knees. Now, with the country in political turmoil, she has the president in her sights.

Barnier makes last-ditch effort to prevent government collapse

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“The moment is serious and difficult, but the challenge is not impossible,” the French prime minister said in a television interview.

French government teeters on brink of collapse as no-confidence vote looms

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Coalition of PM Michel Barnier likely to fall, with Germany in election mode and Trump about to re-enter White HouseEurope live – latest updatesFrench lawmakers will vote on Wednesday evening on a no-confidence motion that is all but certain to oust th…

French government no-confidence vote set for Wednesday

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The motion will likely see Prime Minister Michel Barnier get the chop.

France will oppose the Mercosur treaty right until the end

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Paris risks an embarrassing defeat this week, just as its government faces possible censure and collapse. But this won’t be the end of the saga.

The French prime minister will likely fall this week. So then what? 

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Only a miracle can save Barnier. There doesn’t seem to be one on the horizon. 

Barnier’s French government hangs by a thread as Le Pen’s ultimatum looms

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Far-right leader holds prime minister’s future in her hands as eurozone’s second biggest economy hurtles toward political and financial uncertainty.

French political crisis: Everything you need to know

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The collapse of Barnier’s government could plunge the eurozone into turmoil.

French Socialists reject Barnier’s overtures, raising odds of a government collapse

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The French prime minister will now need the support of the far right to survive.

France has the highest cannabis consumption in Europe. It’s high time to tax it | Alexander Hurst

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With the nation’s finances in a parlous state, decriminalisation could raise millions of euros – as well as cut crimeFrance might not be broke, but the state of its public finances is, well, definitely not good. Total debt stands at €3.2tn – 112% of GD…

French PM Barnier: A ‘serious storm’ is on the horizon if the French government falls

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“This is a very serious moment,” Barnier said in an interview with French broadcaster TF1.

EU approves French budget promises without quite believing them

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On Tuesday, November 26, the European Commission gave its approval to the French government’s plan to gradually reduce its public deficit until 2029. Without, however, fully endorsing the forecasts presented by Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

As France’s Marine Le Pen stumbles, her far-right protégé seizes the limelight

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Jordan Bardella’s glitzy book tour encourages speculation about a palace coup at the top of the National Rally party.

‘Babar’ Barnier outlasts Liz Truss and the lettuce

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The French prime minister has embraced a plodding style utterly dissimilar to the kinetic energy of President Emmanuel Macron and his young acolytes.

Trump’s victory is an ‘existential wake-up call’ for Europe: Ex-EU commissioner Moscovici

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For all the talk of “Trump-proofing” Europe, much remains to be done, and there are now only a few short months before the former president takes office again, following his dramatic comeback and resounding victory in the US election. We speak to Pier…

EU’s opening bid to avoid Trump’s tariffs: We could buy more American gas

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Brussels hopes to avoid trade war with the Republican president-elect.

Brewers to EU: When all else fails, try beer

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New Brussels beverage featuring Ukrainian hops aims to promote European unity and multiculturalism.

Brewers to EU: When all else fails, try beer

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New Brussels beverage featuring Ukrainian hops aims to promote European unity and multiculturalism.

Trump’s in. Here’s what it means for Europe.

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From energy and trade to finance and defense, here’s how Donald Trump’s second presidency will impact EU policy.

Europe should hope for a Trump victory

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The bloc has lost its purpose — and, surprisingly, having the former president back in the White House may be the thing to bring it back.

Hungary flirts with Putin and snubs NATO meeting

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NATO diplomats based in Budapest wanted to chat with Hungary about its ambiguous policy toward the Atlantic alliance, but were ignored.

Poland eyes defence bonds as EU refuses to exempt defence spending from deficit rules

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In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Norway helping Romania acquire a Patriot system, Spain cancelling a multimillion ammunition deal with Israel, and so much more.  

Putin’s cash crunch

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It’s time for Europe and the US to tighten the financial screws on Russia and accelerate an end to the war.

Trump’s Puerto Rico fallout is ‘spreading like wildfire’ in Pennsylvania

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Evidence of the backlash was immediate on Monday.

French government announces more than €5B in additional spending cuts

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The move will affect development aid and EV subsidies.

‘Explainer-in-Chief’ Bill Clinton Makes the Economic Case for Harris

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In eastern North Carolina, the former president tells voters why the pandemic caused inflation, not Democrats, and prescription-drug prices are on the ballot.

France’s credit-rating outlook cut to negative by Moody’s

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The ratings agency cited “increasing risk” over the country’s debt and deficit.

EU scrambles to prepare for a Trump return 

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Ambassadors from the bloc’s 27 countries are holding strategy meetings with top EU officials. 

Barnier and Macron on collision course over fixing France’s finances

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French president appears to fundamentally disagree with the course of budget discipline advocated by his country’s prime minister.

French government considers forcing through budget bill after tax on rich vote

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Left-wing and centrist MPs banded together on Tuesday and voted to make a temporary tax on the rich a permanent levy to help reduce France’s crippling public deficit, dealing a major blow to the minority right-wing government. In response, the governm…

Size matters: 2024 becomes the genitalia campaign

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The former president is delivering a closing argument that expressly embraces locker room talk.

IMF’s end-of-inflation party sobered by debt, war … and a US election

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Inflation may be on the retreat, but growth is slowing and debt is rising as the West and China square off ever more directly.

Schadenfreude reigns as Berlin pays the price of its tough line on debt 

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“It’s karma, no?” said one European official.

The great switcheroo: How France overtook Italy as the EU’s No. 1 budgetary basket case 

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As Paris blows its long-earned fiscal credibility, Rome has started to look respectable in the eyes of the EU’s fiscal cops.

As world debt hits $100T, IMF warns deficit buildup must be brought under control

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Debt expected to near 100 percent of global GDP by 2030.

France’s plan to tackle deficit sparks outcry from left-wing lawmakers, unions

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France’s minority government is facing heavy backlash from left-wing lawmakers and unions after proposing to slash the state budget by €60 billion next year as it aims to plug the country’s deficit. The finance bill, which includes major tax hikes and…

UN aid workers feel forgotten and in peril as Gaza war drags on

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“We’re punished for doing our jobs,” said one foreign doctor who volunteered in Gaza.

French government faces first major test over deep budget cuts

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Bill aims to find €60bn to plug deficit but opposition parties could demand concessions and even topple the administration The new French government is facing its first major test in a hostile parliament as it tries to push through a budget of spending…

Walz to launch media blitz to woo male voters

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Walz’s folksy relatability on TV played a central role in elevating him to Harris’ running mate this summer.

French PM Michel Barnier unveils 2025 deficit-slashing budget

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French Prime Minister Michel Barnier presented to his cabinet a deficit-slashing budget on Thursday, ahead of a likely battle in parliament. In office for just a month, Barnier recently survived a no-confidence vote from leftist deputies, who argue th…

France pledges to spare middle class after unveiling draconian budget cuts

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The budget, unveiled on Thursday, aims to bring the deficit down to 5 percent of gross domestic product next year.

The rise and fall of Macronomics

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Macron was once seen a paragon of good economic management, but his opponents now accuse him of ruining France’s finances.

France plans to tax big business and the rich, while slashing public spending

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Budget to tackle French debt includes a windfall tax on profits of the largest firms.

Budget will be key to Barnier’s survival

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The French prime minister understands the scale of the emergency he’s been confronted with — and that it will determine the fate of his minority government.

Zelenskyy to meet Macron in Paris to talk weapons

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French president wants to showcase his support for Kyiv despite budgetary restraints.

Germany’s economy goes from bad to worse

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Economy Minister Robert Habeck confirms that GDP is set to contract for the second year in a row.

France’s army faces deterrence test against Putin’s Russia

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In May, thousands of French soldiers will need to get to Romania in 10 days to test their ability to meet NATO requirements.

France pledges 2025 budget will ‘fully’ comply with EU spending rules

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France’s Finance Minister Antoine Armand vowed that the 2025 budget will fully align with the European Union’s new spending rules, as the country seeks to address its “colossal” debt through spending cuts and new taxes. Armand aims to bring the public…

Slovak health minister quits over government ‘support’ for anti-vaxxer’s Covid report

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Prime Minister Robert Fico backed plans to investigate Slovakia’s pandemic management. A prominent anti-vaxxer was given the key role.

The pointless battle for the Tory crown

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The ghost of Margaret Thatcher continued to haunt the Conservatives as an irrelevant beauty pageant played out in Birmingham.

France plans eye-watering €40 billion in budget cuts for 2025

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Prime Minister Michel Barnier said it would take until 2029 to get the country’s deficit in line with EU rules.

The Conservative Party conference was weirdly upbeat

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The champagne was flowing — but are the Tories in a state of collective denial?

Barnier lays out a survival plan for France … and himself

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The former Brexit negotiator tried to appeal to both sides of the political aisle during his first major policy speech.

France will need until 2029 to comply with EU spending rules, Barnier says

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Addressing France’s “colossal” debt was the first major point the new PM hit in his speech.

5 things to watch for in French PM Barnier’s first parliamentary address

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What he says will affect everyone from French pensioners to European commissioners.

Weakened Slovak health minister undermined by Fico in budget consolidation row [Advocacy Lab Content]

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The Slovak government announced budget consolidations to reduce the deficit; the move will significantly impact healthcare. Health Minister Zuzana Dolinková (HLAS) faces ongoing criticism from her coalition partners and the opposition – her role remain…

France’s new government reportedly mulls higher taxes on big companies

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Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government is working on an exceptional, temporary tax on the profits of big corporations, as well as a new tax on share-buybacks, Le Monde reported.

Breton slams ‘empress’ von der Leyen’s power grab and France’s loss of influence in EU

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Former French commissioner tells Le Monde that France has lost power in the new European Commission setup.

Ed Miliband is Britain’s minister for good vibes

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Amid much Labour doom and gloom, the energy secretary appeared to be having the time of his life.

What the new French government means for Brussels

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With both president and prime minister vying for control in the policy domain, the political picture could look somewhat different.

Driving on empty: The German government has few options to help an ailing car industry

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Economy Minister Robert Habeck will meet with carmakers — but he has few weapons to stave off a car industry crisis.

French PM Barnier unveils new government, putting budget and EU affairs under his purview

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The Cabinet is the ‘most right-wing’ in more than a decade.

Slovakia targets ‘wealthy’ book buyers with steep VAT rise

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Proposed rate increase to reduce public deficit derided by booksellers, publishers and pro-Russia groupsSlovakia’s populist government has announced plans to drastically raise value-added tax (VAT) on books to help fix its public finances, drawing cond…

When UK party conferences go wrong

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Despite the best efforts of party bigwigs, Britain’s annual gatherings of political animals frequently descend into chaos.

New French government deal struck, PM Barnier says

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The agreement still must be approved by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Books are ‘mostly’ for rich people, Slovak government shrugs as it puts up VAT

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Government of PM Robert Fico is looking for ways to raise money to shrink budget deficit from 6 percent of GDP forecast for 2024.

Germany’s rude economic awakening 

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After a spate of bad news involving giants like Volkswagen and Intel, the mood in Germany has turned gloomy.

Germany retains quiet grip on Europe’s finances

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Von der Leyen’s loyalists hail from countries that don’t like splashing the cash. While others may have posher titles, those frugal hands still hold the power.

Pressure mounts on France’s Barnier not to raise taxes despite budget disaster

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Macron’s camp threatens to drop support to new French prime minister if he raises taxes.

France’s budgetary situation is ‘very serious’, new PM Barnier says

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France has a “very serious” budgetary deficit, Prime Minister Michael Barnier said, weeks after France was placed on a formal procedure for violating European Union budgetary rules. Barnier, who was appointed to lead the French government on September…

Republicans block Democratic bill on IVF protections

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As Trump pitches himself as a “leader on IVF,” GOP senators dismiss the legislation as a Democratic stunt.

Former Poland PM: ‘We’re living under the illusion of environmentalism’

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We aren’t reducing global emissions, just depriving ourselves of jobs, profits, raw material sovereignty and, therefore, security.

France mourns its loss of influence in von der Leyen’s new Commission

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After Thierry Breton’s resignation, French officials are bemoaning a loss of influence in Brussels.

Finance Bill 2025: France slashes development aid by 18% to curb deficit

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The French draft budget, prepared over the summer by the resigning government, proposes an 18% cut to official development assistance (ODA) to tackle a soaring public deficit, raising concerns among NGOs and political leaders who warn of the impacts on…

Michel Barnier’s new secret EU mission

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Can the former chief Brexit negotiator, now France’s prime minister, grease the wheels on budget talks with Brussels?

French PM Barnier promises ‘fiscal fairness’ will help keep debt under control

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The new prime minister insisted he did not want to raise France’s — already considerable — debt levels.

France’s new PM in ‘precarious situation’: French economist Jean Pisani-Ferry

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The nomination of Michel Barnier, a veteran of both French and EU politics, to the post of French prime minister, is “a surprise and a delicate gamble” by French president Emmanuel Macron. That’s according to our guest in Talking Europe, economist and…

Michel Barnier: Everything you need to know about the new French PM’s conservative politics

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The new French prime minister has embraced conservative stances at home which could net him tacit support from the far right.

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