France's Financial Makeover: Big Changes Ahead

France is gearing up for some serious financial changes. They aim to save a whopping 30 billion euros by 2026. That's a lot of cash, right? To hit this target, they're planning to trim spending and introduce new taxes. But it's not all smooth sailing. Different political groups have different ideas, so the plan might change a lot before it's finalized. One big move is pausing a recent pension change. This pause will cost around 400 million euros in 2026 and even more the following year. It's a way to get everyone on board, but it's also a big expense. Now, let's talk taxes. There's a new 2% charge on assets in companies that aren't used for business. This could bring in 1 billion euros. Some politicians want to go further and tax all wealth over 100 million euros, which they say could raise 15-20 billion euros. That's a lot of money, but it's also a big debate. There's also a temporary tax on high earners. This will affect about 20, 000 people and raise 1. 5 billion euros. Big companies will also pay more, but not as much as before. This will bring in 4 billion euros, which is half of what they're paying now. The plan also includes changes to social benefits and pensions. These will be frozen at 2025 levels and won't increase as fast as inflation until 2030. This will bring in 1. 9 billion euros and push about 200, 000 more people into the tax system. Plus, 23 tax breaks are being cut, which will raise another 5 billion euros. Healthcare is also part of the plan. There will be higher deductibles for state health insurance, raising 2. 3 billion euros. Other measures include a new tax on health insurers, a small fee on packages from China, and a global minimum tax for big companies. All of these will bring in more money.