"The fall of any government in the eurozone would be worrisome" - ECB President warns of consequences for the French economy
France is not currently in a situation that would require the intervention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but any risk of the collapse of a government within the eurozone is "worrying", said European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.
She stressed that fiscal discipline remains essential for France and that she is following the situation with French bond interest spreads very closely.
Opposition parties in France have warned they will topple the minority government on September 8, in a surprise confidence vote that Prime Minister François Bayrou called last week. The decision is expected to come because of his plans for budget austerity in 2026, which have not received support from politicians.
The situation has caused a decline in the stock and bond markets of France, the eurozone's second-largest economy.
French banks have come under pressure, but Lagarde stressed that the banking system is in a much better position compared to the 2008 financial crisis.
"I believe that the French banking system is well-capitalized and in better shape than during the last major financial crisis. It is also well-structured, well-supervised and with responsible actors," she said.
"I do not believe that the banking system itself is the source of the current risk, but the markets, in any situation of this type, make the risk assessment," Lagarde added.
Greek businesses double their use of AI - But lag behind the European average
Greek businesses are taking artificial intelligence tools more and more seriously, although they still have some way to go in terms of automating operations......
Migrants sent more money to Kosovo - 654 million euros in remittances in the first half of the year
Migrants sent more money to their families in Kosovo during the first half of the year. According to Central Bank data, remittances for this period were......
Tourism continues to "inspire" lending/ Significant increase in loans in the accommodation and food service sector
The tourism sector in Albania is showing vitality, reflecting increased confidence by private businesses in its long-term potential. The latest data from the......
Gender inequality in wages decreases/ In the construction and real estate sector, the gap is in favor of women
According to data from INSTAT, men are paid an average of 4.9% more than women, indicating a significant difference in financial compensation. However,......
Albanians in 2024 worked less than a year ago/ But the 5-hour difference with the European Union remains strong
Albanians in 2024 worked less than a year ago, but still significantly more than Europeans. The latest data shows that the average weekly working hours in......
Businesses prefer to save in euros - BoA: They grew by 3.7% in July. Transferable ones, in record amounts
Euro deposits have also increased significantly for businesses. According to data from the Bank of Albania, around 283 billion lek were business deposits in......
Energy losses fell by 0.7% - The improvement in the indicator came from the transmission system, increasing distribution
Electricity losses in the network decreased during the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period a year earlier. According to data from the......
Closer to opening the last group of chapters with the EU - Dhuka: Review by member states expected to close negotiations
Within a few months, the final group of chapters with the European Union for membership negotiations is expected to be opened, which include chapters such as......
