The French government's economic programme was to be put to the test Tuesday in a vote in parliament on plans for 50 billion euros (69 billion dollars) in spending cuts, dpa reported. The vote on the 2014-2017 stability programme is being billed as a vote of confidence in Prime Minister Manuel Valls. Hollande announced a policy U-turn in January, ditching traditional Socialist tax-and-spend policies for a more business-friendly or "supply-side economics" approach. The spending cuts, which will affect the local government, health and social welfare budgets, among others, will fund 40 billion euros in cuts to employer payroll taxes that Hollande hopes will spur job creation. They also aim to keep France on target with its deficit-reduction programme.
