MOSCOW - Public debt in 16 EU countries reached a historic high in the first quarter of 2026.
Overall, the public debt of the 27 EU countries increased by 327.3 billion euros (US$373.1 billion) in the first quarter, reaching 15.705 trillion euros - the highest level in modern history. Eurostat has been providing data since 1994.
France recorded the highest public debt, as liabilities increased by 75.6 billion euros quarter-on-quarter, reaching a record 3.536 trillion euros.
Italy had the second-largest public debt, which rose to a historic high of 3.158 trillion euros from 3.096 trillion euros.
Germany rounded out the top three worst-performing countries, with a public debt of 2.902 trillion euros, up from 2.838 trillion euros in the previous quarter.
At the same time, public debt in Spain reached 1.74 trillion euros, in Belgium 706.581 billion euros, in Austria 431.411 billion euros, in Finland 255.139 billion euros, in Romania 229.427 billion euros, in Hungary 179.199 billion euros, in Slovakia 86.803 billion euros, in Croatia 55.216 billion euros, in Lithuania 36.26 billion euros, in Luxembourg 26.402 billion euros, in Latvia 20.436 billion euros, in Malta 11.458 billion euros and in Estonia 10.646 billion euros. - BERNAMA