A strong economic recovery is underway in France, bolstered by progress on vaccination, strong fiscal support and solid private sector led investment. Employment has recovered to above pre-crisis levels and unemployment is virtually stable. Inflation is increasing, mainly driven by a rise in...

France is among the countries most affected by the global pandemic, both in terms of health and economic impact. Output is expected to have declined by around 9 percent in 2020. The authorities put in place a large emergency fiscal package to address the crisis, focused on preserving jobs and...

This 2016 Article IV Consultation highlights that economic recovery in France is solidifying. The economy is projected to expand by 1.5 percent in 2016, primarily driven by strong consumer spending. There are also signs of a cyclical recovery in investment, and the slump in residential...

This Selected Issues paper examines the causes and potential remedies for structural unemployment in France. Structural unemployment in France has long been elevated, and appears to have edged up further since the crisis. This reflects both demand and supply factors, including: high labor taxes,...

This Selected Issues paper analyzes France's fiscal stance using a structural stochastic model. The theoretical model features a forward-looking benevolent government that needs to decide the optimal fiscal stance given the level of public debt, the cyclical position of the economy, and...

This 2019 Article IV Consultation discusses that the French government revamped vocational training and professional development to foster labor market participation, especially for low-skilled workers, following key labor tax and labor code reforms enacted in its first year in office. In...

In a favorable global conjuncture, France has benefitted from a broad-based recovery last year, with robust growth and improving labor market trends, which have led to a decline in the fiscal deficit below 3 percent of GDP last year. But structural challenges persist, with still high...