Latest news with #FranceUnbowed
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
French PM proposes cutting national holidays to cut debt
Losing two public holidays, meanwhile, would add 'several billions of euros' to the state's coffers, Bayrou said. But the proposed measure sparked an immediate protest from Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally. Holiday protests He said abolishing two holidays, 'especially ones as filled with meaning as Easter Monday and May 8 is a direct attack on our history, our roots and on labour in France'. The party's parliamentary leader, Marine Le Pen, warned that 'if Francois Bayrou does not revise his plan, we will vote for a no-confidence motion'. Leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon of the France Unbowed party called for Bayrou's resignation, saying 'these injustices cannot be tolerated any longer'. His party colleague Mathilde Panot accused Bayrou of starting 'a social war'. Bayrou had said previously that France's budgetary position needed to be improved by €40 billion ($78.09b) next year. But this figure has risen after President Emmanuel Macron said at the weekend he wanted €3.5 billion ($6.8b) of extra military spending next year because of rising international tensions. France has a defence budget of €50.5 billion ($98.5b) for 2025. Bayrou said the budget deficit would be cut to 4.6% next year, from an estimated 5.4% this year, and would fall below the 3% required by EU rules by 2029. To achieve this, other measures would include a general freeze on spending increases – including on pensions and health – except for debt servicing and the defence sector, Bayrou said. 'We have become addicted to public spending,' Bayrou said. 'We are at a critical juncture in our history'. Remember Greece The Prime Minister even held up Greece as a cautionary tale, an EU member whose spiralling debt and deficits pushed it to the brink of dropping out of the eurozone after the 2008 financial crisis. 'We must never forget the story of Greece,' he said. France's debt stands at 114% of GDP – compared to 60% allowed under EU rules – the biggest debt mountain in the EU after Greece and Italy. The Government hopes to cut the number of civil servants by 3000 next year, and close down 'unproductive agencies working on behalf of the state', the Premier said. Bayrou said wealthy residents would be made to contribute to the financial effort. 'The nation's effort must be equitable,' Bayrou said. 'We will ask little of those who have little, and more of those who have more.' - Agence France-Presse
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
French PM proposes cutting national holidays to cut debt
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said Tuesday he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays in France as part of a bid to tackle what he called the "curse" of his country's debt. Presenting 2026 budget proposals, Bayrou said two out of France's 11 national holidays could go, suggesting Easter Monday and May 8, a day that commemorates the end of World War II in Europe. Such a measure would bring France into line with Germany's nine national holidays -- although federal states can add their own -- and take it well below Italy's 12 days. After years of overspending, France is on notice to control its public deficit and cut its sprawling debt, as required under EU rules. Bayrou said France had to borrow each month to pay pensions and the salaries of civil servants, a state of affairs he called "a curse with no way out". Losing two public holidays, meanwhile, would add "several billions of euros" to the state's coffers, Bayrou said. But the proposed measure sparked an immediate protest from Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally. - Holiday protests - He said abolishing two holidays, "especially ones as filled with meaning as Easter Monday and May 8 is a direct attack on our history, our roots and on labour in France". The party's parliamentary leader, Marine Le Pen, warned that "if Francois Bayrou does not revise his plan, we will vote for a no-confidence motion". Leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon of the France Unbowed party called for Bayrou's resignation, saying "these injustices cannot be tolerated any longer". His party colleague Mathilde Panot accused Bayrou of starting "a social war". Bayrou had said previously that France's budgetary position needed to be improved by 40 billion euros ($46.5 billion) next year. But this figure has risen after President Emmanuel Macron said at the weekend he wanted 3.5 billion euros of extra military spending next year because of rising international tensions. France has a defence budget of 50.5 billion euros for 2025. Bayrou said the budget deficit would be cut to 4.6 percent next year, from an estimated 5.4 percent this year, and would fall below the three percent required by EU rules by 2029. To achieve this, other measures would include a general freeze on spending increases -- including on pensions and health -- except for debt servicing and the defence sector, Bayrou said. "We have become addicted to public spending," Bayrou said. "We are at a critical juncture in our history". - Remember Greece - The prime minister even held up Greece as a cautionary tale, an EU member whose spiralling debt and deficits pushed it to the brink of dropping out of the eurozone after the 2008 financial crisis. "We must never forget the story of Greece," he said. France's debt stands at 114 percent of GDP -- compared to 60 percent allowed under EU rules -- the biggest debt mountain in the EU after Greece and Italy. The government hopes to cut the number of civil servants by 3,000 next year, and close down "unproductive agencies working on behalf of the state", the premier said. Bayrou said wealthy residents would be made to contribute to the financial effort. "The nation's effort must be equitable," Bayrou said. "We will ask little of those who have little, and more of those who have more." burs-jh/tw/gv
Int'l Business Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Tackling Debt 'Curse', France Wants To Slash Holidays
France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said Tuesday he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays as part of an urgent plan to tackle what he called the "curse" of his country's debt. Presenting his outline 2026 budget plan, Bayrou said two holidays out of France's total of 11 could go, suggesting Easter Monday as well as and May 8, a day that commemorates the end of World War II in Europe. After years of overspending, France is on notice to bring its public deficit back under control, and cut its sprawling debt, as required under EU rules. Bayrou said France had to borrow each month to pay pensions or the salaries of civil servants, a state of affairs he called "a curse with no way out". Bayrou had said previously that France's budgetary position needed to be improved by 40 billion euros ($46.5 billion) next year. But this figure has now risen after President Emmanuel Macron said at the weekend he hoped for additional military spending of 3.5 billion euros next year to help France cope with international tensions. France has a defence budget of 50.5 billion euros for 2025. Bayrou said the budget deficit would be cut to 4.6 percent next year, from an estimated 5.4 percent this year, and would fall below the three percent required by EU rules by 2029. To achieve this, other measures would include a freeze on spending increases across the board -- including on pensions and health spending -- except for debt servicing and the defence sector, Bayrou said. "We have become addicted to public spending," Bayrou said, adding that "we are at a critical juncture in our history". The prime minister even held up Greece as a cautionary tale, an EU member whose spiralling debt and deficits pushed it to the brink of dropping out of the eurozone in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. "We must never forget the story of Greece," he said. France's debt currently stands at 114 percent of GDP -- compared to 60 percent allowed under EU rules -- the biggest debt mountain in the EU after Greece and Italy. The government hopes to cut the number of civil servants by 3,000 next year, and close down "unproductive agencies working on behalf of the state", the premier said. Bayrou said that wealthy residents would be made contribute to the financial effort. "The nation's effort must be equitable," Bayrou said. "We will ask little of those who have little, and more of those who have more." Losing two public holidays, meanwhile, would add "several billions of euros" to the state's coffers, Bayrou said. But the proposed measure sparked an immediate response from Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally. He said abolishing two holidays, "especially ones as filled with meaning as Easter Monday and May 8 is a direct attack on our history, our roots and on labour in France". Leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon of the France Unbowed party meanwhile called for Bayrou's resignation, saying "these injustices cannot be tolerated any longer".
Gulf Today
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
New Gaza-bound aid boat leaves Italy
A Gaza-bound boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid left Sicily on Sunday, over a month after Israel detained and deported people aboard a previous vessel. The Handala, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left the port of Syracuse shortly after 12:00 pm (1000 GMT), an AFP journalist saw, carrying about fifteen activists. Several dozen people, some holding Palestinian flags and others wearing keffiyeh scarves, gathered at the port to cheer the boat's departure with cries of 'Free Palestine'. The former Norwegian trawler -- loaded with medical supplies, food, children's equipment and medicine -- will sail for about a week in the Mediterranean, covering roughly 1,800 kilometres (1,120 miles), in the hope of reaching Gaza's coast. In early March, Israel imposed a total aid blockade on Gaza amid an impasse in truce negotiations, only partially easing restrictions in late May. The boat will make a stop at Gallipoli, in southeastern Italy, where two members of the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) are expected to join. The initiative comes six weeks after the departure of the Madleen, another ship that left Italy for Gaza transporting aid and activists, including Greta Thunberg. Israel authorities intercepted the Madleen about 185 kilometres west of Gaza's coast. 'This is a mission for the children in Gaza, to break the humanitarian blockade and to break the summer silence on the genocide,' said Gabrielle Cathala, one of the two France Unbowed party members set to board the boat on July 18. 'I hope we will reach Gaza but if not, it will be yet another violation of international law' by Israel, she added. The war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that led to 1,219 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Out of 251 people taken hostage that day, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 that the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry says that at least 58,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's military reprisals. The UN considers the figures reliable. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 28 Palestinians including four children in the Gaza Strip, while 24 others were fatally shot on their way to an aid distribution site, Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses said Saturday. Agence France-Presse
Kuwait Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
New Gaza-bound aid boat leaves Italy
New Gaza-bound aid boat leaves Italy A mission for Gaza's children and to break the summer silence on the genocide SYRACUSE, Italy: A Gaza-bound boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid left Sicily on Sunday over a month after Zionist entity detained and deported people aboard a previous vessel. The Handala, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left the port of Syracuse shortly after 12pm (1000 GMT), an AFP journalist saw, carrying about fifteen activists. Several dozen people, some holding Palestinian flags and others wearing keffiyeh scarves, gathered at the port to cheer the boat's departure with cries of 'Free Palestine'. The former Norwegian trawler—loaded with medical supplies, food, children's equipment and medicine—will sail for about a week in the Mediterranean, covering roughly 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles), in the hope of reaching Gaza's coast. In early March, Zionist entity imposed a total aid blockade on Gaza amid an impasse in truce negotiations, only partially easing restrictions in late May. The boat will make a stop at Gallipoli, in southeastern Italy, where two members of the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) are expected to join. The initiative comes six weeks after the departure of the Madleen, another ship that left Italy for Gaza transporting aid and activists, including Greta Thunberg. Zionist authorities intercepted the Madleen about 185 kilometers west of Gaza's coast. 'This is a mission for the children in Gaza, to break the humanitarian blockade and to break the summer silence on the genocide,' said Gabrielle Cathala, one of the two France Unbowed party members set to board the boat on July 18. 'I hope we will reach Gaza but if not, it will be yet another violation of international law' by Zionist entity, she added. Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry says that at least 57,882 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Zionist entity's military reprisals. The UN considers the figures reliable. — AFP
