{
  "id": 8810073,
  "title": "French finance ministry expects record debt in 2026, reaching nearly 120% of GDP",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/french-finance-ministry-expects-record-debt-in-2026-reaching-nearly",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-21T01:01:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Investing.com",
    "slug": "investing-com",
    "url": "https://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/french-finance-ministry-expects-record-debt-in-2026-reaching-nearly-120-of-gdp-4908213"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "France anticipates a record-high national debt of approximately 119.3% of its economic output in 2026, with projections suggesting it could reach 121.7% in 2027, according to the country's finance ministry. This projection was disclosed in a statement to the High Council of Public Finances, an influential body that assesses government revenue and expenditure forecasts. In 2025, France's debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 115.7%, while it was below 100% in 2019. The ministry further forecasts a budget deficit of 5.4% for the current year.\n\nPrime Minister Sebastien Lecornu anticipates that the 2026 deficit will be substantially below the projected 5.5%. To curb the escalating deficit, Lecornu has proposed a €54 billion ($62 billion) austerity measure for the 2027 budget, but faces significant challenges in implementing these cuts through a politically fragmented parliament, amidst growing voter dissatisfaction over rising living costs. The cost of borrowing for France on the bond markets has surged to more than a full percentage point above Germany's rate, signaling investor apprehension over the nation's mounting fiscal burdens as it heads towards upcoming elections.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "French public debt to reach new record level in 2027, exceeding 120% of GDP",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/french-public-debt-to-reach-new-record-level-in-2027-exceeding-120-of",
        "published": "2026-09-19T14:09:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "French finance ministry expects record debt in 2026, reaching nearly 120% of GDP",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/french-finance-ministry-expects-record-debt-in-2026-reaching-nearly",
        "published": "2026-09-19T15:12:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}