“We are back to where we were 10 years ago in terms of France’s attractiveness,” Kamel stated during the presentation of the findings on Wednesday.
Only 17 percent of those surveyed expressed a positive economic outlook for France in the next two to three years. The significant concerns identified include the high cost of labor, complex French labor laws, and political instability. Additionally, 77 percent doubt that Macron will achieve more reforms before his term concludes next year.
Since assuming office in 2017, Macron, who was previously an investment banker, has made efforts to change France’s image as a bureaucratic and overtaxed nation. He has reduced corporate taxes, cut red tape, and attracted multinationals leaving post-Brexit Britain.
France has consistently led consultancy EY’s ranking of EU investment destinations.
Anticipating the unfavorable results, the French Trade Ministry attempted to mitigate the impact on Tuesday. An official from the minister’s office emphasized to reporters that the AmCham survey occurred between December and January, before the passage of a budget in France and while lawmakers were still discussing significant corporate tax increases.
The lengthy budget standoff concluded in early February when Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu successfully advanced the fiscal plans for 2026 through parliament.
Leave a Reply