France's deficit to hit 8.2% of GDP

France's public deficit is expected to hit 8

France's public deficit is expected to hit 8.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010, budget minister Eric Woerth said today.

The previous projection for the budget shortfall stood at 8.5 per cent of GDP.

"In 2010, the deficit will come in at around 8.2 per cent," Mr Woerth told France 2 television in an interview before the government updates its budget latertoday.

The upward revision followed government moves to raise growth projections for the euro zone's second-biggest economy in 2010 to 1.4 per cent from 0.75 per cent previously.

France's public deficit hit 7.9 per cent of GDP in 2009.

Reuters