Government spending by function in France
France: Government spending by function was 40.9% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Government spending by function in France, 2007–2023
Source: OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of government expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, government spending by function in France stood at 40.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending by function in France peaked at 44.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 40.6%, in 2008.
France ranks 5th of 37 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Government spending by function in France, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 40.8% | — |
| 2008 | 40.6% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 41.0% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 41.1% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 41.6% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 41.9% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 41.7% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 42.0% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 42.2% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 42.6% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 42.2% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 42.6% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 43.3% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 44.1% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 41.7% | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 40.8% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 40.9% | +0.4% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 40.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 36.4%, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- France's 40.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 37.5%, 1.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 40.8% | 40.6% | 41.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 42.1% | 41.1% | 43.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.9% | 40.8% | 44.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More reference data data for France
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 18.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 11.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 106.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending by function in France?
- Government spending by function in France was 40.9% in 2023, according to OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending by function recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 44.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest government spending by function recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.6% in 2008.
- How does France rank for government spending by function?
- France ranks 5th out of 37 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government spending by function rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending by function. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by total government expenditure, expressed as a percentage.