(FILES) France's outgoing Minister for Economy and Finances Bruno Le Maire delivers a speech during a farewell ceremony at the French Ministry for the Economy and Finances (Bercy), in Paris, on September 12, 2024. After seven years at the helm of the French economy, Bruno Le Maire is leaving the Bercy Ministry with a record of longevity and a record tarnished by the slide in France's public finances. Appointed on September 21, 2024, his successor Antoine Armand will have the onerous task of trying to reduce the country's considerable public debt and deficit, where the outgoing minister has failed to find a remedy. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)