PARIS – France’s new prime minister on Wednesday laid out 100 billion euros ($110 billion) in new spending to rescue the virus-battered economy from its worst crisis since World War II.The money will notably go to creating jobs for young people facing the worst employment prospects in years, reducing French carbon emissions, and protecting from collapse the small businesses that give rural France its charm.“The crisis highlighted our difficulties and our failures,” Prime Minister Jean Castex told lawmakers.
But despite more than 30,000 virus-related deaths and massive strain on France’s once-renowned public health care system, he said, “We held on.”In a closely watched speech 12 days after his appointment, Castex laid out his priorities as.