Part 15/16:
The question looming over France is whether it can reconcile the need for fiscal sustainability with its cherished values of solidarity and social protection. A sustainable path forward would involve broad social and political consensus—combining efficiency improvements, fairer tax distribution, and gradual benefit adjustments—without dismantling the social safety net.
The Core Dilemma: Identity Versus Reality
Ultimately, France's crisis transcends economics. It is a contest between a collective identity built over decades—solidarity, fraternity, and social justice—and the hard realities of aging populations, global economic pressures, and financial markets that demand fiscal discipline.