By Necva Tastan Sevinc
ISTANBUL (AA) - A French business leader on Wednesday urged political leaders to act with responsibility as the country faces growing uncertainty and the risk of a government crisis, warning that instability is already weighing heavily on the economy.
Patrick Martin, president of France’s leading employers’ association Medef, said the private sector has been struggling with a climate of doubt that discourages investment.
“For almost three years, companies have underinvested because we don’t know what will happen next,” he said in an interview with Franceinfo.
“This uncertainty is not good for the economy.”
Martin voiced concern over the planned nationwide protest movement “Bloquons tout” (“Let’s block everything”), set for Sept. 10.
“The real issue is not blocking the country, but unblocking it,” he said.
Martin warned that the initiative, which operates outside traditional social frameworks, “is not the solution” and risks escalating beyond control.
“It could spill over,” he cautioned.
While noting that he did not feel personally targeted by the movement, Martin described it as “an expression of frustration, not so much on the social level, but rather on the political and societal level.”
He accused parts of the political class of acting out of “petty calculations” instead of addressing the challenges confronting the country.
He said the upcoming state budget is another source of worry for the business community, as firms fear “a number of unpleasant decisions” could emerge at a time when stability is urgently needed.
“We are not defeatist, but we are rational, and so we ask ourselves: what will happen if this government falls?” he added.
- French political turmoil
France is facing mounting political tensions as Prime Minister Francois Bayrou prepares for a crucial confidence vote in the National Assembly on Sept. 8.
Bayrou, who unveiled a 2026 budget framework in July, is seeking support for a plan to save nearly €44 billion ($51 billion) as part of efforts to reduce France’s soaring public debt, now at 113% of GDP.
France also has one of the bloc’s largest budget deficits at 5.8%.
Warning that the country is “on the brink of over-indebtedness,” Bayrou urged lawmakers to choose “responsibility over chaos.”
Opposition parties across the spectrum, from the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) to the far-right National Rally (RN), as well as the Socialists, have vowed to vote against the government.
Adding to the pressure, French labor unions have called for a nationwide protest on Sept. 10 under the slogan “Let’s block everything.”
Budget negotiations have been a major source of tension in French politics.
The failure to reach an agreement on the 2025 budget last year led to the collapse of the Michel Barnier government in December, after left-wing and far-right parties united behind a no-confidence motion.