PARIS, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- France's public debt will continue to rise, reaching 119.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026, up from 115.6 percent in 2025, according to data released Saturday by the French Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to rise further to 121.7 percent in 2027, more than double the European limit of 60 percent, the ministry said.
French daily Le Figaro, citing data from the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), reported that these debt levels would be the highest since 1995.
"The increase is mechanical. It is the consequence of a deficit that remains high," the ministry told local media.
The French government expects the public deficit to reach 5.4 percent of GDP in 2026, up from 5.1 percent in 2025, according to Le Figaro.
On Sept. 11, French Economy and Finance Minister Roland Lescure said the government had cut its 2026 economic growth forecast to 0.5 percent, lower than the previously reported 0.7 percent. The target of limiting the budget deficit to 5 percent of GDP in 2026 "is no longer an option," Lescure said, adding that "France will have a deficit above 5 percent in 2026." ■