Le Monde speaks of an unexpected benefit for France’s public finances, referring to Greece’s decision to proceed in 2025 with the early repayment of a €1.1 billion loan that Athens had taken out with Paris in the early 2010s.

France, facing serious fiscal constraints, has unexpectedly benefited from Greece, the French newspaper notes, pointing out that the repayment of the €1.1 billion—originally scheduled for the period 2033–2041—helps reduce the French deficit.

The move is considered impressive, the newspaper also reports, emphasizing that the success of Greece’s fiscal adjustment program enabled Athens to repay the IMF and part of its Eurozone loans earlier, strengthening its credibility in the markets.

As of summer 2025, Greece is now considered a safer borrower than France, with a slightly lower borrowing cost, the newspaper concludes.