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Are some member states more equal than others? (Photo: Trey Ratcliff)

France wins two-year reprieve on deficit

French finance minister Michel Sapin has indicated that a decision by the European Commission - endorsed Tuesday (10 March) by member states - to give Paris more time to obey EU deficit rules will stave off the rise of extremist political forces.

"Europe is there to help us, it’s not there to punish us,” he said after the meeting. “Every time people talk about punishment, they’re not helping democracy, they’re helping the extremes.”

His comments were an apparent reference to the f...

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Are some member states more equal than others? (Photo: Trey Ratcliff)

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