Paris---France's economy will expand at a slower rate than earlier thought in 2016 and 2017, the finance ministry said in new forecasts published Wednesday.
Growth is expected to reach 1.5 percent for both years, rather than 1.7 percent previously forecast for 2016 and 1.9 percent for 2017.
The ministry however maintained its 2015 growth forecast at 1 percent.
It also reiterated that France is on course to bring down its public deficit to the EU limit of three percent of output by 2017.
AFP
