The 74-year-old veteran centrist has yet to persuade the opposition to accept the harsh measures he’s proposing, which could reassure French creditors, financial institutions, and ratings agencies concerned about the nation’s high levels of public spending.
Bayrou seemed to use the interview to reshape the public conversation ahead of the vote, which he scheduled for September 8.
He mentioned that his aim wasn’t for France’s political parties to assess his government but to acknowledge the severe financial risks facing France before tackling the challenging task of negotiating a more streamlined budget for the following year.
Bayrou expressed his willingness to discuss individual items in the budget he presented last month, like the contentious plan to eliminate two public holidays. However, he stood firm on what he described as “the necessary effort to ensure that France opts to reduce its excessive debt.”
“The economic situation worsens intolerably each year,” he stated.
France’s main opposition parties have announced their decision to vote against the government. Although Bayrou conceded that the numbers were not on his side, he remained hopeful about swaying some opponents.
“The political parties that declared their intent to overthrow the government, I believe that in the coming 12 days, they may reconsider, recognizing they spoke hastily or acted too rashly,” he commented.
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