François Bayrou alerts the state of French finances at a crucial conference. What measures to avoid the worst in 2026? The suspense remains whole.
Imagine for a moment: a mountain of debts so high that it exceeds the Himalayas. It is the shock image that a senior French official has recently used to describe the state of finance of our country. This Tuesday, April 15, 2025, a long -awaited conference was held to put cards on the table and alert on the budgetary imbalances that weigh on the future of France. The objective? Awareness, explain, and perhaps lay the foundations for a CAP for 2026. But in a weakened economic context, what tracks can we really consider?
An alarming diagnosis of public finances
The situation is serious, but not new. For decades, France has accumulated ** budgetary imbalances ** which weaken its economy. In 2024, public debt climbed 203 billion euros, reaching the astronomical figure of 3,305 billion euros. It is not a simple statistic: it is a burden that weighs on each citizen and limits the room for maneuver to invest in the future.
Faced with this observation, this Tuesday conference brings together key players: ministers, parliamentarians, social security officials and local elected officials. However, an absent brand intrigues: the association of mayors, which fears to be used to fill the budget holes. This boycott speaks volumes about the tensions surrounding the search for savings.
“The imbalances in our country are like a chronic disease: you can live with it, but without treatment, it ends up taking everything. »»
Growth at half mast, a major challenge
The economic context still complicates the situation. With ** growth planned at only 0.7 % in 2025 **, against 1.1 % in 2024, France is at the crossroads. International trade tensions, especially with the United States, weaken businesses and reduce tax revenues. In this climate, reduce ** Public deficit ** to 5.4 % of GDP, as promised, is a challenge.
To achieve this, additional efforts are announced: at least 5 billion euros in savings From this year. But some whisper that this figure could climb, forcing painful choices. Where to cut? Education, Health, pensions? Each option seems politically explosive.
Key figures to remember:
- Public debt: 3,305 billion euros in 2024.
- Growth 2025: 0.7 %forecast.
- Target deficit: 5.4 % you pib EN 2025.
- Announced effort: 5 billion euros in savings, maybe more.
No announcements, but a CAP for 2026
If the conference should not lead to concrete measures, it aims to lay the groundwork for the 2026 budget. A strategic document, expected Wednesday in the Council of Ministers, will trace the budgetary trajectory in the medium term. This plan, intended to reassure our European partners, will have to juggle between rigor and preservation of public services.
But how can we convince the French to accept a “bitter potion” without causing an uproar? communication will be crucial. By exposing the ** risks of a budget skid **, the government hopes to reach opinion to its cause. However, the first reactions suggest heated debates.
Massive savings: where to find 40 billion?
For 2026, a colossal effort is mentioned: 40 billion eurosmainly in the form of savings. This sum, described as “very considerable”, already arouses tightening. The sectors concerned remain vague, but some areas seem in the viewfinder:
- Health : Reduce hospital spending without compromising care.
- Pensions: Push the starting age or adjust pensions?
- Administration : Rationalize public services.
- Local authorities: Less endowments for the municipalities?
One thing is certain: taxes should not increase. This promise, hammered several times, aims to reassure households. But some propose to make a tax on high incomes permanent, a measure which divides even within the majority.
“Time of whatever it costs is over. Now, it is whatever happenswe will keep our commitments. »»
An explosive political climate
The conference is involved in a tense political climate. Opposition forces, from left and right, already brandish the threat of censorship. If some refuse savings that “touch the French”, others require cuts on the lifestyle of the state above all. Could a censorship motion have the government wave?
For the moment, the debate remains open. But one thing is clear: the French expect answers. How to preserve our social model while straightening the accounts? The answer, or at least its sketch, could emerge from this crucial day.
Companies at the heart of concerns
At the same time, companies, shaken by international trade tensions, are demanding support. A new dialogue body with employers’ organizations was born, with a first meeting the day before the conference. But then again, the room for maneuver is limited: the boxes are empty, and the massive aids of yesterday are no longer an option.
The leaders insist on targeted support, especially for the sectors exposed to customs duties. But how to finance these measures without weighing down the debt? The puzzle is total.
| Stake | Solution envisaged | Risque |
|---|---|---|
| Public debt | 40 billion savings | Tensions sociales |
| Low growth | Targeted support for businesses | Increase in deficit |
| Public deficit | Reduction to 5.4 % of GDP | Political censorship |
A communication challenge
Explaining arid figures to millions of French people is not an easy task. This Tuesday conference should therefore be more than a technical presentation: it will have to convince. The organizers promise clear language, concrete examples, and a desire for transparency. But in a country where distrust of the elites remains strong, the bet is risky.
Citizens want to understand: why these sacrifices? What are these efforts for? Without clear answers, the risk of massive rejection is real. And with electoral deadlines on the horizon, each word will be scrutinized.
And after? Long -term issues
If 2026 is in all minds, it is the long -term future that is played out. Can France find a healthy budgetary trajectory without sacrificing its social model? Will structural reforms, often mentioned but rarely applied, will finally be there?
For the time being, the questions prevail over the answers. But a certainty emerges: without a collective effort, the burden of the debt will continue to weigh on future generations. This Tuesday conference could be the starting point for a national awareness. Or, on the contrary, the prelude to new tensions.
To remember for 2026:
- An unprecedented budgetary effort of 40 billion euros.
- Economic growth under pressure.
- A desire displayed not to increase taxes.
- Political debates that promise to be animated.
This Tuesday, April 15, 2025 marks a turning point. Not that of the great announcements, but that of a raw truth: France must look its finances in front. It remains to be seen whether this transparency exercise will lead to lasting solutions or to a simple observation of helplessness. One thing is certain: the French are waiting for acts.
