It’s not me who says so. Marisol Touraine, the French minister for Health and Social Affairs, explained that the budget for social security – which combines health and social security benefits – would reduce the deficit to a measly 9.7 billion euros. The French have lived so long with le trou de la Sécu – the hole in the Social – that they’re really quite used to it. As reported in Le Monde, Mme Touraine explained:
The deficit in Social Security will pass next year below the 10 billion mark: this is half of what it was at the end of the previous presidential term of office. We can be proud of that.
Hum, I hope they are more proud of the deficit than they may be about the reduction – Touraine may be interpreted in different ways. Though the reality speaks clear and unambiguous words, e.g.
http://www.humanite.fr/infographie-portrait-social-de-la-france-et-de-leurope-en-crise-la-sante-588847?IdTis=XTC-FT08-A68XFR-DD-YFOL-FM8Y
http://www.humanite.fr/infographie-portrait-social-de-la-france-et-de-leurope-en-crise-chomage-et-precarite-588839?IdTis=XTC-FT08-A6GI3M-DD-8INP-FM2R