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Le Pen vows €140 billion in savings to pull France back from the brink of sovereign 'default'

From the Newshound archive · first published 6 October 2026 · last updated 7 October 2026.

Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. Le Pen has pledged €140 billion in net savings by 2032, warning France risks sovereign default without drastic action to bring its deficit below EU limits.
Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. Le Pen has pledged €140 billion in net savings by 2032, warning France risks sovereign default without drastic action to bring its deficit below EU limits.
France's borrowing costs and debt trajectory, as Le Pen's plan includes cutting France's net EU budget contribution to €5 billion, putting her on a collision course with Brussels.
France's borrowing costs and debt trajectory, as Le Pen's plan includes cutting France's net EU budget contribution to €5 billion, putting her on a collision course with Brussels.

Marine Le Pen, the frontrunner in France's presidential race, has unveiled a plan to slash €140 billion in net spending by 2032 if she wins next year's election, warning that France is "heading towards default" without a sharp change of course. The pledge is an upgrade on her original €125 billion target, driven by a surge in French borrowing costs not recorded since the early 2000s. Le Pen set out a commitment to reduce France's deficit below the EU's 3% threshold by 2030 and urged the European Central Bank to cut interest rates once public finances are stabilised.

France's deficit is forecast to hit 5.4% of GDP this year — nearly double the EU's 3% ceiling — with the government set to borrow €340 billion in 2027 alone.

Le Pen's plan includes cutting France's net EU budget contribution to €5 billion, a move that would put her on a collision course with Brussels.

National Rally president Jordan Bardella, seated beside Le Pen, used the press conference to deny sending antisemitic messages as a teenager, accusing the outlet that published the claims of a 'little operation' against him.

Morebloomberg.comLe Pen Vows to Cut French Deficit, Calls on ECB to Intervene - Bloomberg.comfrance24.comLe Pen vows €140 billion savings if elected to prevent French 'default' - France 24lemonde.frLe Pen vows drastic budget cuts to prevent French 'default' on debtFinancial TimesFirstFT: Le Pen lays out economic plan for France - Financial Timeseuronext.comFar right presidential frontrunner Le Pen to pitch budget cuts as French bonds bomb - Euronext MarketsGB NewsEuro plunges to 17-month low as concerns grow over France's financesAOL News UKFrance: government slams Marine Le Pen's alternative budgetpolitico.euFrance’s Le Pen unveils economic platform stuffed with cuts — but few new ideasreuters.comFrench far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's main budget proposals - ReutersMarketplace.orgFrance's debt pushes the euro to 17-month low - Marketplace.org
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