2023 deficit seen significantly above targetminister
More budget cuts seen after 10 bln euros in pipeline
Ratings decisions, EU elections complicate timing

PARIS, March 7 Reuters France39;s midFebruary emergency budget cuts to keep its deficitreduction plans on track are unlikely to be the last, leaving the government struggling to strike a balance between financial imperatives and political realities.

The timing for any more cuts could hardly be worse, with annual European Union budgetvetting, credit rating agency updates and EU parliamentary elections that the French far right is likely to do well in all due in the next three months.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire delivered bad news on Wednesday, saying last year39;s public sector budget deficit would likely be worse than expected when the accounts are finalised.

That follows his announcement in midFebruary  not even two months into the fiscal year of 10 billion euros 10.9 billion of budget cuts needed to keep the government39;s deficitcutting plans on course in the face of weaker than expected growth.

For a long time, public spending has been the solution to all of our problems. Now it risks becoming a problem for all of us, Le Maire told the lower house of parliament39;s finance committee on Wednesday.

We need to take decisions to improve our public finances.

The ministry now expects the euro zone39;s secondbiggest economy to grow only 1 this year instead of the 1.4 on which it had based its…