France, Nov. 20 -- International tycoons are having second thoughts about investing in France mainly due to the country's political instability, says a new survey of 200 managers of foreign-owned companies.

After several years in which France became the number one European destination for new headquarters, research centres and factories, the tide, according to the findings of the consultancy firm EY, appears to be turning.

A barometer of France's attractiveness- carried out between 3 and 21 October - found that 118 of the bosses said the fractious political landscape following last summer's snap parliamentary elections was making it difficult for them to build a business plan.

Nearly half of them feared the political skirmishing would ...