France΄s government budget deficit widened to 27.5bn euros in the first quarter of the year from 26.3bn recorded in the same period in 2015, the budget ministry said on Tuesday
The ministry claimed that the wider deficit -which doesn't include social security and local authority spending- resulted from an advance payment to an intermediary state organization that handles services and payments.
Spending remains in line with the initial budget plans for 2016, the budget ministry added. Revenue rose slightly as tax receipts increased, including from sales taxes.