Newly appointed France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier arrives for the handover ceremony with outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, September 5, 2024.
Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced steep public spending cuts and targeted tax hikes for France's biggest companies and wealthiest individuals on Tuesday, saying there was no other way to narrow a gaping budget deficit.
Tax increases would be targeted and temporary, he said, without giving further details.
ING economist Charlotte de Montpellier said Barnier had been too light on detail to know if the timeline for cutting the deficit was credible and questioned whether the tax hikes would be temporary.
"... the likelihood of these tax hikes becoming permanent is significant," de Montpellier said.
Persons:
Michel Barnier, Gabriel Attal, Barnier, Charlotte de Montpellier, de Montpellier
Organizations:
France's, European Union, Le Parisien, ING
Locations:
Paris, France, Europe