France enters 2026 with an economy that is stable but increasingly limited by high public deficits, rising debt, and political deadlock. Growth is expected to recover modestly as inflation eases and financing conditions improve, but weak fiscal consolidation and legislative gridlock continue to weigh on the country’s economic prospects.

Credit rating agency KBRA recently downgraded France’s long-term sovereign rating to AA-, citing persistently high deficits and a deteriorating debt trajectory. The agency revised its outlook to stable from negative but warned that without decisive reforms and spending restraint, French sovereign credit metrics would remain under pressure.

“Despite France’s exceptional access to liquidity, a fragmented political environment is weighing on credit metrics by impeding meaningful fiscal consolidation and keeping deficits elevated,” Ken Egan, senior director for sovereigns at KBRA, told Euronews.

France’s economic growth remains modest. GDP expanded by 1.1% in 2024 and is projected at around 0.8% in 2025, weighed down by weak domestic demand, subdued investment, and uncertainty linked to geopolitics and trade fragmentation. Household consumption has remained cautious despite falling inflation and improving real wages, while investment has been constrained by higher interest rates, particularly in construction and other sensitive sectors.

Government programmes such as the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and France 2030 are expected to provide support, but their impact may be limited without broader fiscal reforms. On the positive side, headline harmonised inflation dropped to 0.9% year-on-year in late 2025, below the European Central Bank’s target and below the eurozone average, offering some relief to households.

Political challenges continue to hinder fiscal execution. President Emmanuel Macron’s second term has been marked by a fragmented parliament and difficulty passing major legislation. Budgetary impasses, no-confidence votes, and frequent use of constitutional tools have slowed reforms, including the 2023 pension measures. Originally expected to generate €11 billion in annual savings by 2027, these adjustments are now projected to deliver just €100 million in 2026.

The fiscal outlook remains vulnerable. The International Monetary Fund projects France’s debt-to-GDP ratio rising from around 116% in 2025 toward nearly 130% by 2030. Rising interest payments will further strain public finances, with debt servicing costs expected to reach €59.3 billion in 2026, up from €36.2 billion in 2020. A primary budget deficit projected at 3.4% between 2026 and 2030 limits the government’s ability to stabilise the debt trajectory.

Despite these challenges, France retains strong market access. Government bonds benefit from deep liquidity, a diversified investor base, and the country’s core status within the eurozone. KBRA notes that while liquidity reduces near-term risks, the lack of fiscal consolidation and ongoing political fragmentation could leave France’s debt burden on an upward path, limiting policy flexibility in the years ahead.

Health experts are cautioning that dehydration is often overlooked during winter, putting people at risk of fatigue, brain fog, and even serious kidney problems. While most associate dehydration with hot summer months, specialists say maintaining proper fluid intake is equally important when temperatures drop.

Yadira Santiago Banuelos, a clinical assistant professor and practising family nurse practitioner at Purdue University’s School of Nursing, emphasised that hydration affects a wide range of bodily functions, from skin health to immunity. “When we’re well hydrated on the inside, we’re also better hydrated on the outside, helping with dry skin,” Banuelos said. “It also helps lubricate between our joints, which we definitely want when we’re out shovelling snow.”

Hydration also plays a critical role in supporting the immune system during peak cold and flu season. Banuelos explained, “It helps provide that moist mucous membrane layer that helps prevent viruses, bacteria, things like that throughout the winter.”

Despite these benefits, winter dehydration often goes unnoticed. People tend to underestimate their risk because they are less likely to feel thirsty. Banuelos noted that the body’s thirst response decreases by about 40 per cent in colder months, meaning individuals may already be dehydrated before recognising their need for fluids.

Cold weather also contributes in subtle ways. Dry air pulls moisture from the skin, urination frequency tends to increase, and sweat continues to occur even if it evaporates quickly. “We still sweat, but oftentimes we don’t notice it as much because it tends to evaporate a lot quicker with the cold,” Banuelos said.

Dehydration can lead to a range of symptoms depending on severity. Early signs include dizziness, dry skin, chapped lips, fatigue, and a foggy feeling. If prolonged, it can result in more serious complications, including kidney problems such as kidney stones or even kidney failure.

Experts advise that the widely cited “eight cups a day” guideline may not be sufficient for everyone. Banuelos explained that men typically need about 13 cups (approximately three litres) of water daily, while women require around nine cups (two litres). Fluid needs can increase during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with women sometimes needing intake levels similar to men.

Maintaining adequate hydration in winter may require more conscious effort. Experts suggest drinking water regularly throughout the day, incorporating hydrating foods such as fruits and vegetables, and paying attention to signs of dryness or fatigue. Simple habits such as carrying a reusable water bottle, choosing warm fluids like herbal teas, and monitoring urine color can help ensure proper hydration.

With cold temperatures and dry indoor air contributing to moisture loss, health professionals emphasise that staying hydrated is vital not only for comfort but also for overall health. Winter should not be a season of neglect when it comes to water intake, and proactive hydration can help protect joints, skin, kidneys, and immunity during the colder months.

Female footballers may experience more serious injuries and longer recovery times when they are on their period, according to a new study. The research, published Tuesday in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, followed FC Barcelona women’s players over four seasons from 2019 to 2023 in Spain’s professional league.

While the study found that menstruation does not increase the likelihood of injury, it revealed that injuries sustained during bleeding days resulted in significantly longer recovery periods. Lead author Eva Ferrer, a specialist in sports medicine and female health at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital and the Barça Innovation Hub, explained that injuries during menstruation led to three times more days lost to recovery compared to injuries at other points in the menstrual cycle.

For example, soft tissue injuries to muscles, tendons, and ligaments required an average of 684 days lost per 1,000 training hours during menstruation, compared to 206 days for injuries outside of bleeding days. “Small modifications such as longer warm-ups, adjusted high-speed workloads, or additional recovery support may help reduce the severity of injuries if they occur,” Ferrer said.

The study highlights how hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle can affect the body’s response to injury. Fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels impact muscles, metabolism, and the immune system. Low estrogen can reduce the muscles’ ability to repair themselves and contribute to increased fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbances. Iron loss during menstruation may also lower stamina and slow recovery.

This is not the first time that hormonal changes have been linked to injury outcomes in female athletes. Earlier this year, FIFA funded a study to investigate the connection between the menstrual cycle and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women’s football. Researchers plan to monitor estrogen and progesterone levels, which have been associated with increased ligament laxity and decreased neuromuscular reaction times.

Simon Augustus, a researcher involved in the FIFA project, said, “We know hormones fluctuate during different phases of the cycle, but we do not yet know how much of an influence that may have on the risk of injury.”

The findings underscore the importance of considering female physiology in sports training and injury prevention. Adjusting training schedules, recovery protocols, and injury management according to the menstrual cycle could help protect athletes and reduce the impact of injuries when they occur.

As professional women’s football continues to grow, experts say integrating menstrual health into coaching and medical practices is key to supporting athlete performance and long-term career longevity.