Public debt falls less than expected in 2023. So what ?

While the last few weeks have been marked by renewed concerns about the evolution of public debt, the figures published this morning by INSEE seem to justify these concerns . At the end of 2023, French public debt (as defined by Maastricht) reached €3101.2 billion, an increase of €147.6 billion compared to the previous year. Expressed as a percentage of GDP, it stood at 110.6%, down 1.3 points compared to 2022 but above the government’s target of 109. 7 %. This smaller reduction in debt is not good news. But is it so worrisome, and for whom?