French Markets Watchdog Sees Country Dodging Financial Crisis

The head of France’s securities regulator dismissed concerns the country is facing a potential financial crisis after political instability triggered two credit downgrades within a week.

Marie—Anne Barbat-Layani, who leads the Paris-based Autorité des Marchés Financiers, cited a peer in a beleaguered neighbor who once told her: “Double A is the new triple A.”

Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani

Photographer: Thibaud Moritz/AFP/Getty Images

“When you are investment grade and you have strong demand when you are coming on the markets with your debt issuance, it is not a crisis situation,” she told Bloomberg on Thursday.

Morningstar DBRS cut France to AA from AA (high) on Sept. 19, ...