Growth of 0.5% in 2026 is “difficult to achieve”, according to the High Council of Public Finances

Growth of 0.5% in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026, anticipated by the government, is “difficult to achieve”, and a forecast of 0.3% would be “more likely”, estimated Wednesday in an opinion the High Council of Public Finances (HCFP).

The government's forecast of a public deficit of 5.4% of GDP in 2026 is also "weakened by recent developments and the latest information", estimated the HCFP, an independent budgetary body attached to the Court of Auditors, in this opinion on the end-of-management finance bill for 2026 presented on Wednesday by the government. It maintains its forecasts for 2026 despite the uncertainties weighing on the economy.