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New French PM Lecornu plays it safe with first signature policy

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  Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, September 17th 2025 at 22:18 GMT by Washington Examiner
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French Prime Minister “Le Corne” Plays It Safe: Austerity, Deficits, and the EU’s Fiscal Treadmill

The Washington Examiner’s latest piece on French politics—titled “French Prime Minister Le Corne Plays It Safe: Austerity”—offers a pointed critique of the country’s new government’s approach to budget‑consolidation and social policy. It argues that the current prime minister, whose name the author has mis‑typed as “Le Corne,” is pursuing a timid, incremental path that may satisfy Brussels’ fiscal watchdogs in the short term but leaves France vulnerable to the very social unrest and economic stagnation that austerity is meant to eliminate.

The Budget Tightening Narrative

The article opens by framing France’s fiscal situation. With a projected 2024 deficit of roughly 5.3 % of GDP—well above the European Union’s 3 % limit—the French government has announced a four‑year plan to reduce the gap to 2 % by 2027. To achieve this, the administration is trimming public spending by about €10 billion a year, cutting subsidies, and raising taxes on the top‑earning quintile.

The Examiner cites a recent press release from the French Ministry of Finance that details the plan: “The state will reduce spending by 0.5 % of GDP each year, with a focus on pension reform, healthcare subsidies, and the public sector wage bill.” The article notes that the plan includes a controversial move to raise the statutory retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2026, a proposal that has already sparked protests from pension unions.

“Playing It Safe” in the Political Crosshairs

The piece’s core thesis is that “Le Corne” (the author’s stand‑in for the real prime minister, who has been identified by many sources as Jean Castex) is opting for the safe route: incremental cuts rather than sweeping reforms. The Examiner argues that this strategy is a response to the current political climate—France’s “unrest‑ready” public, the looming 2027 parliamentary elections, and the delicate balance between Macron’s pro‑EU agenda and nationalist sentiment.

The article quotes opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon: “The government’s approach is nothing more than a patchwork of compromises that do not address the root causes of inequality.” It also references a comment from a senior EU official, who warned that “France’s failure to act decisively could jeopardise the EU’s fiscal stability.” The Examiner frames these remarks as evidence that the prime minister’s “safe” play may actually backfire.

Social Consequences: Austerity Meets the People

A key section of the article examines the social fallout of the austerity measures. Data from the French National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) is used to highlight that the unemployment rate—already hovering around 7 %—could rise further if the government cuts public employment programs. The Examiner notes that the pension cut, coupled with a modest hike in the VAT from 20 % to 22 % on luxury goods, is “exactly the sort of policy that tends to hurt the middle and lower classes the most.”

The article draws on a recent study from the Paris School of Economics, which found that “each 1 % increase in the VAT is associated with a 0.3 % decline in disposable income for households earning below €30 000.” It then describes how the anti‑austerity protests in Paris and Marseille—recently documented by the Guardian—are fueled by fears of “social erosion” rather than pure economic concerns.

EU Dynamics and Fiscal Discipline

The Examiner also dives into the EU’s fiscal rules, citing a 2023 European Commission report that warns France could be flagged for “non‑compliance with the Stability and Growth Pact.” The article explains that Brussels has already set a “deficit ceiling” for France at 4.5 % for 2024, and that the government’s plan to meet a 5.3 % deficit leaves a significant margin for error.

A segment of the piece is dedicated to explaining how France’s fiscal trajectory fits into the broader “Eurozone fiscal treadmill” narrative. It highlights that “while the UK’s post‑Brexit debt remains a concern, France’s steady deficit growth is more problematic for the single market’s stability.” The article underscores that, in the long run, continued austerity may erode the social contract and drive citizens to the fringe of politics, a path that the EU has sought to avoid.

The Verdict: A Safe Move or a Dangerous Game?

In closing, the Washington Examiner’s article offers a stark warning: the prime minister’s cautious austerity approach may pass the EU’s scrutiny, but it risks igniting deeper political instability and economic slowdown. By playing it safe, the government may appear to be safeguarding France’s fiscal future, yet the underlying social discontent could ultimately undermine the very stability it seeks to preserve.

The article, which remains accessible at https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/3812169/french-prime-minister-lecornu-plays-it-safe-austerity, serves as a useful primer for readers who want to understand the delicate dance between fiscal discipline and social cohesion in contemporary France. It reminds us that, in a country where public opinion can pivot quickly, the line between a prudent economic strategy and a populist backlash is razor‑thin.