French Sports Officials Walk Out of Minister’s Speech

PARIS (Reuters) – French sports officials walked out of a speech by new minister Marie Barsacq over a planned 33% budget cut for their sector just months after a memorable Paris Olympics.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister Eric Lombard announced the government aimed to save around 50 billion euros ($52 billion) from the 2025 budget.

Lombard stated that a belt-tightening effort was necessary to maintain economic growth, adding that the drafted budget bill would target a deficit of 5.0% to 5.5% of gross domestic product.

Marie-Amelie Le Fur, president of the French national sports agency, challenged Barsacq at the National Olympic Committee (CNOSF) headquarters, asking, “How can we let this slide after the summer we’ve had? We need the State, madam minister, and we need you to convey this message to the government.”

As Barsacq was about to address the attendees, about 30 officials left the room in protest.

In a letter to Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, CNOSF president David Lappartient criticized the “incomprehensible budgetary trajectory proposed by the government.”

The government has initiated negotiations for the budget, with a parliamentary vote expected next month. Lombard also began consultations with opposition parties in hopes of securing support for the new budget bill and preventing a no-confidence vote, like the one that led to the collapse of the previous government in early December amid backlash against its austerity measures.