Bruno Le Maire maintains the forecast for 2022 at 4%

The current explosion in Covid-19 cases does not undermine Bruno Le Maire’s confidence. The Minister of the Economy indeed maintains the government’s growth forecast for France at 4% in 2022, the Omicron variant having according to him “a weak impact”.

In an interview with Figaro to be published this Tuesday, Bruno Le Maire adds, without further clarification, that growth in 2021 was “greater than the 6.25% announced”. The Banque de France estimated on December 19 that GDP growth would reach 3.6% this year, after 6.7% in 2021.

A budget deficit finally below 8% of GDP

The budget deficit for 2021 will be “significantly less than 8% (of GDP) against 8.2% expected”, tax revenues having been higher than expected, further notes the Minister. The measures targeted to help the sectors particularly affected by Omicron “should cost around a hundred million euros”, he said, declaring once again “open to any additional device (…), in particular on social security tax exemptions. As he said on Monday after a meeting with employers’ organizations.

Bruno Le Maire has also pledged to keep Prime Minister Jean Castex’s promise to limit the increase in electricity prices to 4% in 2022. For this, he promises “in the coming days” to present “a solution additional ”concocted with EDF, which will be added to the 8 billion euros of tax reduction already recorded.