From Politico.eu, January 14:
Leader’s first speech will test his ability to strike deals with opposition parties.
PARIS — French Prime Minister François Bayrou slammed the country’s previous leaders and opposition parties for ignoring increasing indebtedness in his first major policy speech, accusing the whole political class of having danced a "fatal tango that brought us to the edge of the precipice.”
"Every party of government, without exception, is responsible for the situation created over the last few decades," Bayrou told lawmakers on Tuesday. The 73-year-old centrist listed the debt increases under each French president since Socialist François Mitterrand in 1981 — drawing jeers from the various political groups that have been in charge since then.
Bayrou, like his short-lived predecessor Michel Barnier, compared the debt to a "sword of Damocles" hanging over France.
He said he plans to dramatically reduce the country's deficit ― the difference between how much a government spends and brings in ― to 5.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2025. It was 6.2 percent last year, more than twice the level permitted by the European Commission.
“Major savings will be proposed,” he said.
In one of the most closely watched parts of his 90-minute speech, Bayrou seemed to rule out changes to France’s controversial 2023 law raising the age of retirement from 62 to 64 for most workers.
Bayrou acknowledged that the debate around pensions “continues to torment our country,” but he insisted that the unpopular law was a “vital necessity.” He said he would only be open to amending it or to passing a new reform if that did not plunge France further into debt.
“I hope that an agreement can be reached," but if the parties can't strike a deal "the current reform will continue to apply,” he said.
Changes to pension reform appeared in the cards last week when Finance Minister Eric Lombard did not shoot down the possibility of the government diluting the law during talks with center-left opposition parties....
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