PARIS, September 17 (RIA Novosti) - France is "sick" and its saving requires economic reforms, French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told Radio Europe 1 in an interview Wednesday.
"France is sick, it is not doing well … there is no other choice than to advance, to act in order to reform the economy," the minister said.
On Tuesday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls won a confidence vote in the National Assembly, the country's lower parliamentary house. Despite vigorous criticism, Valls affirmed his government's will to stick to its harsh three-year-long austerity plan, which would cut government spending by about $64 billion.
In late August, France's former Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg of the Socialist Party lashed out at Paris and Brussels for their austerity measures. Montebourg was supported by the Education Minister Benoit Hamon and Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti. This led to the resignation of the entire Cabinet of Prime Minister Valls – a move, backed by President Francois Hollande, who called on Valls to form a new government more consistent with his course. As a result, Montebourg, Hamon and Filippetti resigned.
France is experiencing weak economic growth and increasing unemployment, with Hollande's approval rating standing at 13 percent as of August.
