Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire promised 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) of additional support to help French companies cushion the impact of a nightly curfew in
Paris and eight other big cities where the
Coronavirus is running rampant.
Le Maire also said that companies in the beleaguered hospitality industry would be exempt from social charges if their revenues crashed by more than 50% as a result of the curfews.
The curfews are President Emmanuel Macron's response to a dilemma facing countries across Europe: how to keep the
economy running and protect jobs while slowing the spread of infections and taking pressure off the creaking healthcare systems.