Overview
- France 5’s C dans l’air aired the April 6, 2024 note marked “secret,” making public Bruno Le Maire’s warning to President Emmanuel Macron about deteriorating public finances.
- Le Maire pressed for a rectifying budget law and €15 billion in additional savings to aim for a 4.9% deficit in 2024.
- He argued that high spending threatened France’s credibility in the European Union and warned that skipping an LFR would invite unified opposition litigation and accusations of budget insincerity.
- The proposals were not implemented, and the 2024 deficit ultimately reached about 5.8% of GDP.
- Political reactions followed the revelation, with LFI’s Éric Coquerel calling it an “omission of state” and current economy minister Roland Lescure saying he had not been aware of the letter.