France, July 15 -- French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping plan to restore France's public finances, warning of the "deadly danger" of being "crushed by debt".

Presenting his outline 2026 budget plan, Bayrou said two holidays out of France's total of 11 could go, suggesting Easter Monday as well as 8 May, a day that commemorates the end of World War II in Europe.

Calling May "a month riddled with public holidays," he said the measure could generate "several billion euros" in revenue. He added he was "open to other suggestions".

Opening his address he said, "We are at a critical moment in our history." He explained that France's public deficit has now reached 5.8% of GDP in 2024 and that public debt climbed ...