Jacques Attali explains why the next president will be unable to keep his promises

Jacques Attali says no candidate in France’s next presidential election will be able to carry out their entire program. He points to two major obstacles: the country’s strained public finances and legal constraints arising from the Constitution, European law and France’s international commitments. Attali says the incoming president could order an assessment of the public finances and use its findings to justify dropping campaign pledges. France’s debt could also require additional spending cuts or tax increases, forcing the next leader to revise priorities.