Germany, Italy, Austria & Spain in recession France announces weak growth ahead of election.

The growth for France is a surprise (especially for someone living in France) but perhaps to be expected ahead of a looming election, amongst  an EU reporting recession on every hand. Individual countries reporting poor GDP results portend bad news at 1100 CET when the combined Euro Group figures are revealed. Link.

The cost of a corrupt political class and indolent administators all addicted to high-living and over regulation while pursuing an absurd collectivist agenda is once again shown to be borne in the national economies.