France's debt crisis: Who will pay for the €54 billion squeeze? | DW News

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France has unveiled a painful 2027 budget aimed at bringing its public finances under control, with the government seeking €54 billion in savings. Public debt has reached around €3.6 trillion -- 119% of GDP -- while borrowing costs are rising and investors are questioning whether Paris can rein in its deficit. But Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu faces fierce political resistance. France has no stable parliamentary majority, his two predecessors were brought down over austerity plans, and students are protesting over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school buildings. Journalist Chris Bockman joins The Day from Toulouse to examine whether French voters accept the case for spending restraint, where the government can realistically make cuts, whether taxes will have to rise, and what happens if financial markets lose confidence in France. The confrontation comes just months before France's 2027 presidential election, with Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon cur

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