Man of La Mancha: 'Barnier has an impossible job, no one really willing to play nice' ahead of 2027

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier came under pressure on Wednesday to clarify how he will plug a gaping hole in the public finances as the central bank and public audit office warned spending cuts and tax hikes are inevitable. Barnier only took office earlier this month, but already finds himself facing a growing budget crisis as tax income comes in weaker than expected and spending is higher than planned, pushing France's deficit reduction targets out of reach. "The budget situation that I have discovered is extremely dire," Barnier said in a statement, adding that he was seeking more information to establish the "exact reality". Barnier, a veteran conservative politician and former EU Brexit negotiator, is running out of time to name a finance minister and hand lawmakers a 2025 budget bill, which the law in theory requires by Oct. 1 although some wiggle room is possible. But to rein in France's worse than expected budget deficit, Barnier must tread carefully to not irritate opposition parties who could join up and topple his government with a no confidence motion in the deeply divided parliament. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on Barnier's mission impossible as he attempts to navigate France's radioactive political landscape, FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza is joined by Noémie Bisserbe, Reporter at The Wall Street Journal, covering French politics and foreign policy.. 🔔 Subscribe to France 24 now: https://f24.my/YTen 🔴 LIVE - Watch FRANCE 24 English 24/7 here: https://f24.my/YTliveEN 🌍 Read the latest International News and Top Stories: https://www.france24.com/en/ Like us on Facebook: https://f24.my/FBen Follow us on X (Twitter): https://f24.my/Xen Browse the news in pictures on Instagram: https://f24.my/IGen Discover our TikTok videos: https://f24.my/TKen Get the latest top stories on Telegram: https://f24.my/TGen