Report
Patrick Artus

Weak productivity gains are France’s main problem

Productivity gains in France have been extremely low since 2011: 0.8% per year on average. Even with significant growth in the participation rate (the proportion of the working-age population in the labour market), the result is now very low growth in potential growth: 1.2% per year. France’s sluggish productivity gains explain the lion’s share of the problems facing the country today: The inability to have significant growth in wage earners’ purchasing power without worsening competitiveness and profitability; The inability to increase even necessary public spending (education, healthcare, security) without losing fiscal solvency; The need to choose between reducing the generosity of pension schemes and hiking the tax burden, wiping out the gain in workers’ real incomes. All economic policies , including those regarding education, training and industry , should aim to achieve higher productivity gains.
Provider
Natixis
Natixis

Based across the world’s leading financial centers, Natixis CIB Research offers an integrated view of the markets. The team provides support to inform Natixis clients’ investment and hedging decisions across all asset classes.

 

Analysts
Patrick Artus

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