PM Lecornu Says He Is 'Not Very Optimistic' on Meeting 2026–27 Deficit Targets

In an interview with Paris Match, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he was "pas très optimiste" (not very optimistic) about hitting France's public deficit objectives for 2026 and 2027, calling the level of French debt and deficit "préoccupant, grave même" (concerning, even serious) because it limits the state's freedom of action. The government still targets a deficit of 5% of GDP in 2026, down from 5.1% in 2025, but Lecornu attributed slippage risk to the Iran conflict's effect on energy prices and cost overruns from French military activity in the Gulf. He said the government "cannot suspend all decisions until 2027" and would press ahead with a 2027 budget for adoption "during winter," including structural reforms and no new taxes.