PARIS, France, Jan 30, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The French economy grew 0.9 percent in 2025, statistics office INSEE said in a preliminary estimate Friday, a slowdown from the 1.1 percent growth seen the previous year. Most economists had tabled on fourth-quarter growth of 0.2 to 0.4 percent as consumer spending remained subdued while the government wrestled with passing a budget widely expected to slash spending. But President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government is struggling to get a 2026 budget passed in a hung parliament, raising doubts about its ability to cut the deficit to five percent of GDP. The credit ratings agency Moody's said this week it expected the deficit to fall to just 5.2 percent this year. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is widely expected on Friday to force through the spending section of the 2026 state budget without a parliamentary vote.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 30, 2026 08:32 UTC