Economic policy has taken something of a back seat in a French presidential campaign initially focused on cultural and identity issues, then overshadowed by the war in Ukraine. But as the country prepares for the April 10 first round, the various candidates are offering different visions of France’s economic future.
The French economy performed better than expected after the calamitous effects of the Covid crisis, with 7 percent growth in 2021 – higher than Germany, Italy and Spain. Unemployment sank to 7.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2021, its lowest rate since 2008.
