PARIS: France’s outgoing prime minister said Wednesday that consultations to end the country’s political crisis had shown cross-party willingness to agree on a budget by the end of the year.
Sebastien Lecornu, whose resignation on Monday caused the Paris stock market to slip, reported consensus so far on “a desire to have a budget for France before December 31”.
“This desire creates a movement, a convergence that pushes back the prospect of dissolution” of parliament, he said.
He implied a coalition government could be formed and dismissed the possibility of early parliamentary elections.
France has been politically deadlocked ever since President Emmanuel Macron gambled on snap elections last year.
Macron hoped to consolidate power but triggered a hung parliament and more seats for the far right instead.
Lecornu’s two immediate predecessors were ousted by the legislative chamber in a standoff over the spending plan.
Macron’s seventh premier resigned on Monday, but the president convinced him to stay until Wednesday evening.
He was tasked with trying to form a coalition government that could pass the much-needed budget bill.
Lecornu said centrist and right-wing politicians he met on Tuesday agreed “that the public deficit target must be kept below five percent” of GDP.
This marked a shift from the previously planned 4.7% target.
His predecessor Francois Bayrou had proposed 4.6%.
Lecornu spoke ahead of meeting with left-wing party representatives before his Wednesday evening deadline.
France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is the European Union’s third-highest after Greece and Italy.
The ratio is close to twice the 60% permitted under EU rules. – AFP