Government gross debt in France

International Monetary Fund · Annual · Importance

IMF forecast (WEO): 2026: 118.4% 2027: 120.5% 2028: 121.1% 2029: 121.3% 2030: 121.2% 2031: 120.7%

61.4 (1999) ANUAL · % of GDP · Annual · CSV

Period	% of GDP
Jan 1999	61.4
Jan 1998	62.1
Jan 1997	62.0
Jan 1996	60.6
Jan 1995	57.8
Jan 1994	51.6
Jan 1993	48.2
Jan 1992	41.7
Jan 1991	37.8
Jan 1990	36.8

About this indicator

Source

International Monetary Fund

Frequency

Annual

Release

Published annually (with quarterly advance estimates in some economies), subject to revision with the national accounts.

What it is

France's government debt is the total liabilities owed by the public sector to its creditors. It is expressed in absolute terms and, above all, as a share of GDP to assess sustainability. It is published by INSEE under the Maastricht debt definition.

How it's calculated

It is compiled under the harmonised Excessive Deficit Procedure (Maastricht) rules, summing the liabilities of all levels of government (securities, loans and deposits) consolidated across subsectors. The debt-to-GDP ratio relates that stock to the size of the economy.

Market implications

A high or rising debt level bears on the government's funding costs and the room for fiscal policy. In France, with debt above 100% of GDP, it is a closely watched variable: it feeds through to the spread of the French bond (OAT) over the Bund and to rating-agency decisions.

Limitations

It is a low-frequency figure revised alongside the national accounts. The ratio to GDP depends on both the debt stock and nominal GDP, so inflation can lower it without any change in real borrowing.