France’s new finance minister Antoine Armand says he will strive to convince EU counterparts that Paris is serious about reining in its deficit and complying with the bloc’s budget rules. The new minister will present the national budget on Thursday, which Paris hopes will tackle France’s „colossal“ debt through spending cuts and new taxes. On Monday, Armand was in Luxembourg to reassure his eurozone counterparts of France’s policy priorities, including bringing the deficit under control. SOUNDBITE