Government at a Glance 2015

www.oecd.org/gov/govataglance.htm

Country Fact Sheet

France

Public finances remain under pressure with high government expenditure,

despite rising revenues
In 2014, government expenditure and revenues in France are the fourth highest among OECD countries
(57.3% and 53.3% of GDP respectively). Government revenues have been steadily increasing since 2009,
at a pace similar to Belgium or Finland (above 3 p.p.), but after improving continuously between 2009 and
2014, the cyclically adjusted fiscal balance has remained stable since 2014, with a net imbalance close to
the OECD average (2.8% and 3.1% of potential GDP respectively). This is higher than in the majority of
European countries.
Chapter 2: Public finance and economics
General government expenditures as a percentage of GDP
General government revenues as a percentage of GDP
General government structural balance as a percentage of potential GDP

Women are making strong progress in public life

In 2013, women accounted for one of the highest shares in total employment across OECD countries, and
represent over 62.3 % of public sector employees (above the OECD average of 58%) . Equality is progress-
ing at top levels of public life, with the share of women in Parliament increasing notably since 2002, to
represent about a quarter of Parliament, a situation close to the OECD average and between Australia and
Canada. France is topping also the league of OECD countries concerning women in ministerial positions as
women represent half of the Ministers, as is the case in Nordic and Northern European countries.
Chapter 3: Public employment and compensation
Share of public sector employment filled by women and men
Share of women parliamentarians and legislated gender quotas
Share of women ministers

Citizens’ and businesses’ use of electronic government services

to complete administrative procedures is higher than in most other OECD countries
In 2014, 44% of citizens and 87% of businesses reported having sent at least one filled form via online gov-
ernment services. This is above the OECD average (33% and 78% respectively). Moreover, about 19% of
businesses reported having used the electronic procurement systems to complete a tendering process online
which is above most OECD-EU countries. France is also the 2nd top performing OECD countries in this
year’s OURdata Index which measures the level of availability and accessibility of public data on the nation-
al open data portal and the level of government support to the reuse of public data.
Chapter 10: Digital government
Individuals using the Internet to interact with public authorities
Businesses using the Internet to interact with public authorities
Businesses using electronic procurement systems
OURdata Index: Open, Useful, Reusable government data
 How to read the figures:
Range of OECD country Values have been rounded.
Country value in blue Average of OECD countries
values in grey n.a. refers to
(not represented if not available) in green
France data not available

GOVERNMENT INPUTS: FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES

Public Finance & Economics Public Employment & Compensation

Public Finance and Economics

Government revenues Government expenditures Public investment Government gross debt *
(2013, 2014) (2013, 2014) (2013, 2014) (2013, 2014)
% of GDP % of GDP % of of total govt. expenditures % of GDP

120.0% 100% 111.6%

France 2013 France 2013 France 2013 France
2014 0% 2013
53.3% 57.3% 6.7%
(2014) (2014) (2014)
37.7% 41.9% 7.8% 100% 109.3%
53.0% 57.1% 7.3%
(2013) (2013) (2013) 0%
2013
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250%

Source: OECD/Eurostat National Accounts

Source: OECD National Accounts Source: OECD National Accounts Source: OECD National Accounts
* SNA definition, see Notes

Fiscal balance *
(2013, 2014)
% of GDP

-15% -10% -5% 0% +5% +10% +15%

-4.0% -4.1% -4.2%

France
G@G /data
2014 2013 2013
Source: OECD National Accounts. * See Notes

Public Employment and Compensation

Public sector employment Public sector employment Share of women ministers
as % of total employment (2013) filled by women (2013) (2015)

France France France

19.8% 62.3% 50.0%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

21.3% 58.0% 29.3%

Source: International Labour Organization (database) Source: International Labour Organization (database) Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union Parline Database
G@G /data
 GOVERNMENT PROCESSES
Institutions Regulatory Governance Public Procurement Public Sector Integrity Digital Government

Institutions Regulatory Governance

Level of Stakeholder engagement and consultation (2014)
influence of the
Centre of Government Stakeholder engagement to inform
Consultation on draft regulations
officials about the problem and
over line ministries possible solutions
or proposed rules
(2013)
Subordinate Subordinate
Primary laws regulations Primary laws regulations

For some For some

High For some For some
subordinate subordinate
primary laws primary laws
France
France regulations regulations

30% 3% 6% 68% 53%

59% 15% 9% 6% 18%
11% 65% 62% 18% 24%
15% 23% 6% 5%
2% 0% 2% 0%
High Moderate Low
For all primary laws / For major primary laws / For some primary laws / Not
Never applicable
subordinate regulations subordinate regulations subordinate regulations

Source: OECD 2013 Survey on Centre of Government Source: OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook (forthcoming)

Public Procurement
Procurement expenditure Strategic public procurement - Objectives
(2013) (2014)
% of government expenditures
Support for green Support for Support for innovative
public procurement SMEs goods and services
G@G /data

France

France

26.5% 29.0%
13 26 1 2 10 25 0 3 10 23 0 3

A strategy / policy has been developed by some procuring entities A strategy / policy has been rescinded
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
A strategy / policy has been developed at a central level A strategy / policy has never been developed

Source: OECD National Accounts Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Public Procurement

Digital Gov. Public Sector Integrity

OURdata Index: Level G@G
of /data
disclosure of private interests
Open, Useful, Reusable across branches of government
Government Data (2014) (2014)
Composite index
from 0 lowest to 1 highest
Executive Branch Legislative Branch Judicial Branch “At risk” areas
1 High level
64 75
58 71
0.92 0.8 44
France Medium level
32
0.6 26
Low level
0.4 7

0.2
0.58
France France France France

0
Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Open Government Data Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Managing Conflict of Interest in the Executive Branch and Whistleblower Protection
G@G /data
 GOVERNMENT OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES
Core Government Results and Service Delivery
Satisfaction and confidence across public services (2014)
% of citizens expressing confidence/satisfaction

Health care
81% 71%
100

80

60

40

National government Education system

20
France
26% 42% 66% 67%

Average

Range

Judicial system
48% 54%
Source: Gallup World Poll

Access to healthcare (2012) Equity in learning outcomes (2012)

Out of pocket expenditure as a % of final household consumption PISA mathematics score variance by socio economic background

1.6% 2.8% 22.5% 14.8%

France France

0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Source: OECD Health Statistics 2014 Source: OECD, PISA 2012 results: Excellence through equity, 2013

Changes in household disposable income, Limited government powers

by income group (2007-2011) (2014)
5%

0% 0.78
France

-1.3% 1.7% -1.6% -0.8% -5%

France -10%
0.76
Bottom Top Bottom Top
10% 10% 10% 10% -15%
[0.37-0.92]

Source: OECD Income Distribution Database Source: The World Justice Project

Notes
 Fiscal balance as reported in the System of National Accounts (SNA) framework, also referred to as net lending (+) or net borrowing (-) of government, is calculated as total government revenues minus total government expenditures.
 Structural fiscal balance, or underlying balance, represents the fiscal balance adjusted for the state of the economic cycle (as measured by the output gap which resulted as the difference between actual and potential GDP) and one-off
fiscal operations.
 Government gross debt is reported according to the SNA definition, which differs from the definition applied under the Maastricht Treaty. It is defined as all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest or principal by the
debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future. All debt instruments are liabilities, but some liabilities such as shares, equity and financial derivatives are not debt.

Government at a Glance 2015

With a focus on public administration, OECD Government at a Glance 2015 provides readers with a dashboard of key indicators assembled with the
goal of contributing to the analysis and international comparison of public sector performance across OECD countries. Indicators on public finances
and employment are provided alongside composite indexes summarising aspects of public management policies, and indicators on services to
citizens in health care, education, and justice. Government at a Glance 2015 also includes indicators on key governance and public management
issues, such as regulatory management, budgeting practices and procedures, public sector integrity, public procurement and core government
results in terms of trust in institutions, income redistribution and efficiency and cost-effectiveness of governments.

The Excel spreadsheets used to create the tables and figures in Government at a Glance 2015 are available
via the StatLinks provided throughout the publication:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/gov_glance-2015-en
For more information on the data (including full methodology and figure notes)
and to consult all other Country Fact Sheets: www.oecd.org/gov/govataglance.htm