France to Keep 5% 2026 Deficit Goal for Now, Budget Chief Says

France’s budget minister said it’s too soon to set a more ambitious deficit reduction target despite a sharper-than-expected narrowing of the gap last year.

The reduction of the deficit to 5.1% in 2025 from 5.8% a year earlier was partly due to one-off elements and there is great uncertainty over the macroeconomic impact of the Iran conflict in 2026, David Amiel told the senate’s finance committee Wednesday.