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France not sick child of Europe, Valls tells Germans

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told a press conference in Berlin today that France was not the “sick child of Europe”.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, 16 avril 2014.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, 16 avril 2014. Reuters/Philippe Wojazer
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After talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel, he insisted that France would carry out structural reforms necessary “for the sake of [France] and for Europe”.

Valls was speaking after a working lunch with the German leader, during which he outlined to her his planned timetable to introduce reforms.

Merkel told journalists the French plans to restore growth and budgetary discipline were “impressive”.

Earlier this month, Paris admitted that it will not be able to reduce its budget deficit to the EU limit of 3% of GDP before 2017.

German newspapers have taken to calling France the sick man of Europe, amid growing annoyance at France’s repeated failure to meet EU targets.

Valls on Saturday hinted that Germany should do more to bolster growth within the Eurozone, proning stimulus spending, but Germany maintains it is already doing enough.

Valls is in Germany for two days, his first official visit to Berlin since becoming Prime Minister in March.
 

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