Hollande Proposes New Taxes, Austerity Measures for France
France has taken another step toward severe austerity programs set by the central government. Its economy has dipped into a recession. New President François Hollande claims that the government needs to cut costs and place an extreme tax on the income…
Mr. Hollande said his government would propose a budget this month packed with as much as €20 billion ($25.6 billion) in new taxes and €10 billion in spending cuts. He confirmed that the budget will include a special 75% tax for people earning more than €1 million a year that has fanned fears of an exodus of France’s wealthiest citizens.
The painful measures are necessary to fulfill pledges to lower the country’s budget deficit to 3% of gross domestic product next year from 4.5% in 2012 and reassure investors, who have been more lenient with France than with other highly indebted euro-zone countries such as Italy and Spain.
Douglas A. McIntyre
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