Thierry Breton, a former European Commissioner and former Minister of Economy, emphasized the need for the next French president to "commit to implementing the laws" during an interview on Friday, September 11, with BFMTV and RMC. He spoke about the suspension of the pension reform, which he described as a "freezing" of the reform. Breton argued that this pause has cost France at least three to four billion euros this year, money that now must be found elsewhere, even though it was originally budgeted for other purposes. Breton expressed disappointment with the suspension of the pension reform, noting that France has been "stopped since the dissolution" of the government by President Emmanuel Macron in June 2024, following the European elections. The early legislative elections resulted in a government struggling to maneuver within a National Assembly without a clear majority. Breton criticized France for "not respecting the rules" in managing public finances and called for more "discipline," suggesting that "institutionalized indiscipline" has been a problem in recent years. The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) has warned that the French economy is slowing down, with a projected increase in GDP (PIB) of only 0.4% in 2026, a figure lower than the expected 0.7%. This has placed the country's economic growth on an "orange alert," indicating a warning level. Breton said these figures "are absolutely not surprising," pointing to the stagnation of the economy and the abandonment of key reforms, such as the pension reform, as major contributing factors. Beyond the slowdown in growth, Breton noted that "all the engines of growth are jammed," with persistent inflation, declining agricultural production, and unemployment that could reach 8.6% by the end of the year. He proposed a "golden rule" for public finances, suggesting a long-term plan to move from a 5% deficit to a -1% deficit by 2032. He pointed out that this rule exists but that France has not respected it, unlike Germany, which has followed it every year since 2009.