Former Finance minister Bruno Le Maire poses prior to his hearing before the French Senate on the drift of public finances, in Paris on November 7, 2024. Prior to a committee of enquiry at the French National Assembly, the French Senate is trying to understand the reasons for the budgetary slippage by hearing former France's Minister for Economy, Finance and former French Prime Ministerthe next day, with the aim of "purging the abscess" ahead of the examination of the draft budget for 2025. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP) (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)