• May 29 2026
  Global Economy

  French economy contracts by 0.1% in first quarter

  Unexpected fall driven by weak domestic demand and drop in exports

  
• May 15 2026
  TotalEnergies

  ‘Le Total bashing’ grips France over energy profits

  Earnings jump since the Iran war has sparked heated calls for windfall taxes and criticism of returns of cash to shareholders

  Sarah White

  
• May 6 2026
  French society

  The French guide to not working in May

  ‘Faire le pont’ — the art of maximising public holidays — is about to reach its zenith

  Adrienne Klasa

  
• May 1 2026
  Employment

  France allows flower shops and bakeries to open on May Day

  Government agrees to drop broader reform that would have seen other businesses work on sacrosanct national holiday

  
• February 19 2026
  Telecoms

  Orange CEO warns there is ‘no incentive for investment’ in Europe

  French telecoms group will prioritise growth in Middle East and Africa, says Christel Heydemann

  
• February 14 2026
  European companies

  ‘Companies are not cows to be milked’: French businesses grapple with profits surcharge

  Corporate earnings season lays bare impact of levy on profits expected to raise €7.5bn

  
• February 6 2026
  Trump tariffs

  French farming posts first trade deficit in nearly a decade

  Poor results prompt warning that France’s traditional strength in agriculture has faded

  
• February 2 2026
  French politics

  France adopts budget after premier survives no-confidence vote

  Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resorts to special constitutional power to tackle deficit

  
• January 22 2026
  Tax

  French supertax on wealthy raises only a quarter of planned revenue

  Shortfall comes as President Macron’s fragile minority government struggles to cut deficit

  
• January 19 2026
  French politics

  French PM to extend tax on big companies to appease the left

  Sébastien Lecornu wants to finalise 2026 budget and keep his fragile government in power

  
• December 23 2025
  French politics

  France approves budget rollover to avoid US-style shutdown

  Spending limits for 2025 extended into new year but officials warn new budget is needed to finance investments

  
• December 19 2025
  French politics

  France will not agree budget by year-end, says prime minister

  Government will have to roll over 2025 budget into next year after parliamentary talks collapse

  
• December 4 2025
  Eurozone economy

  France must cut spending to tackle deficit, urges state auditor

  Pierre Moscovici warns politicians not to rely on taxes in race to agree budget for 2026

  
• November 28 2025
  ArcelorMittal SA

  French lawmakers vote to nationalise ArcelorMittal plants

  Motion unlikely to take effect but highlights deep concerns about Europe’s struggling steelmakers

  
• November 4 2025
  Europe Express

  Jumble of tax proposals snarls up France’s painful budget process

  Also in this newsletter: Compensation reform to increase flight delays, warns research

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• October 30 2025
  Eurozone economy

  Eurozone economy expands 0.2% in third quarter

  Better than expected performance comes after French output grows at fastest pace since 2023

  
• October 17 2025
  French politics

  S&P cuts France’s credit rating as it forecasts higher debt pile

  French sovereign downgrade is the third in recent weeks and heaps pressure on Sébastien Lecornu’s budget plans

  
• October 16 2025
  French politics

  FT Magazine. Time to guillotine France’s super-rich tax breaks

  Does the country need a wealth tax?

  Simon Kuper

  
• October 16 2025
  Tax

  French companies rue ‘betrayal’ of Macron’s business-friendly agenda

  Consternation over pledge to continue tax raid on big companies and suspend pension reforms

  
• October 8 2025
  French politics

  French PM sees ‘convergence’ in last-ditch budget talks

  Sébastien Lecornu says prospect of snap elections is receding while centrists float suspension of pension reforms

  
• October 7 2025
  Sovereign bonds

  What is happening in France may not stay in France

  Bond markets are losing patience with political paralysis

  Mohamed El-Erian

  
• October 7 2025
  French politics

  France’s political crisis leaves budget plans in disarray

  Spending can be rolled over but this would prevent measures to tackle France’s worrying public deficit

  
• October 7 2025
  Europe Express

  Why the Lecornu disaster leaves Macron with so few options

  Also in this newsletter: Bulgaria’s pandemic recovery cash is paused

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• September 29 2025
  French politics

  French Socialists threaten to topple Macron’s new prime minister

  Sébastien Lecornu attacked by the left for his ‘unreasonable’ deficit-reduction plans

  
• September 23 2025
  Eurozone economy

  Eurozone business activity grows at fastest pace in 16 months despite French weakness

  September survey data brings ‘sobering reality check’ for France, say economists