France: "The most difficult is ahead of us", warns Bruno Le Maire
The Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, upon leaving the Elysée Palace on January 6, 2021. Ludovic MARIN AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
“The hardest part is ahead of us”, “we are going to live through difficult weeks and months”.
These words were spoken this Thursday by the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, during an exchange with the think tank Institut Montaigne.
Faced with a mutant and persistent virus, Bruno Le Maire warns: the economic future will remain bleak for several more months.
Publicity
Read more
The observation is clear, since the beginning of the health crisis and despite the financial support from the government to the most affected sectors, economic activity is still slowing down.
The Minister of the Economy fears the coming weeks with their processions of announcements of social plans.
The first half of 2021 promises to be complicated, with more bankruptcies than last year and a number of breaches of employment contracts already announced tripled in one year, exceeding 80,000.
►
Read also: The industrial Michelin announces the elimination of 2,300 jobs in France
Before the first effects of the vaccination campaign become visible, we must therefore hold on.
In the meantime, Bruno Le Maire reassures sectors in great difficulty such as restaurants, hotels, culture or leisure.
Bercy, is ready to increase aid, and the minister is negotiating with the banks to delay the repayment of the first installments of loans guaranteed by the State.
The hope of a rebound in economic activity in the second quarter rests on the success of the vaccination.
According to economist Philippe Martin, a week of delay in vaccination costs the French economy at least 2 billion euros.
► Also listen: Cost of delayed vaccination: "2 billion euros per week lost, maybe more"
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
France
Economy
French politics
Coronavirus
On the same subject
Covid-19: the health situation has become more fragile in France warns Jean Castex
Industrial Michelin announces the elimination of 2,300 jobs in France