John Whelan: Irish exporters need political tranquillity

Many were hoping for a stable European market but the reality in Germany and France proves otherwise

French President Emmanuel Macron in the restored interior of Notre-Dame de Paris. With a deficit of over 6% of GDP, France already has the worst budget imbalance in the eurozone.

It has been a turbulent week for international traders, with the French government toppled in a vote of no confidence, plunging the euro zone’s second-largest economy into a period of deep political uncertainty.

Coming on the back of a stalled German economy in a political stalemate with snap elections coming in February, it has created a very uncertain outlook for Irish exporters as they survey their sales options in their two largest European markets.