FRANCE-POLITICS-GOVERNMENT-PARTIES-BUDGET

President of Droite Republicaine parliamentary group Laurent Wauquiez (2ndL), flanked by French the Les Republicains (LR) party MP Philippe Juvin (L) sits in front of France's Minister for Economy, Finances and Industrial and Digital sovereignty Eric Lombard (R) and France's Minister in charge of Public Accounts Amelie de Montchalin (2ndR), ahead of the start of a consultation session focused on France's budget at the Economy's and Finances' ministry (Bercy) in Paris, on January 9, 2025. The difficult job of delivering a budget plan for 2025 falls to Eric Lombard, the 66-year-old head of public-sector lender Caisse des Depots (CDC), who was named Economy Minister. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)