France’s attempt to bring its spiralling debt under control has sparked a political crisis that has seen off a series of prime ministers and left Europe’s second largest economy teetering on the brink.

At a moment when “the very sovereignty and freedom of France and Europe are at stake”, the country finds itself “paralysed by chaos, impotence and debt”, veteran political commentator Nicolas Baverez told the BBC .

How bad is the debt crisis?

The French economy “appears strong at first glance”, said The New York Times . Before Donald Trump’s tariff war , “growth was slow but steady and employment was picking up” but “behind the scenes, outsize government spending and falling tax receipts strained finances”.

In absolute terms, France now holds the highest consolidated national deb

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