BRUSSELS — The European Union’s executive arm on Wednesday criticized France for running up excessive debt, a stinging rebuke at the height of an election campaign where President Emmanuel Macron is facing a strong challenge from the extreme right and the left. The EU Commission recommended to seven nations, including France, that they start a so-called “excessive deficit procedure,” the first step in a long process before any member state can be hemmed in and moved to take corrective action. “Deficit criteria is not fulfilled in seven of our member states,”...
Story continues below Advertisement European Union ambassadors agreed on Friday formally to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, the...