The Senate dominated by the right-wing opposition voted on Wednesday at first reading, after the National Assembly, alterations to the 2022 budget, with an anti-inflation extension of 2.5 billion euros to finance in particular an exceptional energy check.
The vote on this second amending finance bill (PLFR), after a few modifications, was won by 251 votes to 28.
Deputies and senators will now try to agree on a common version of the text in a joint committee.
This PLFR is part of the continuity of the purchasing power package voted on this summer, indicated the Minister in charge of Public Accounts Gabriel Attal. It ensures the financing of measures that will change the daily life of the French people while making a certain number of adjustments in a very classic logic of end of management.
The text proposes an extension of 2.5 billion euros, including 1.8 billion euros to finance an exceptional energy check for 12 million households. And exceptional aid of 230 million euros to correct the blind spot of households heating with wood, whether logs or pellets. An envelope of 440 million euros must finance the two-week extension of the fuel rebate of 30 centimes per litre.
This amending budget still contains measures to support universities in the face of rising energy prices and arms in the face of fuel prices.
The Senate adopted a government amendment degrading the public deficit forecast for 2022, which would stand at -5.0% of GDP, compared to -4.9% in the initial text tabled in the National Assembly. Mr. Attal, however, indicated that this return to 5% could only be temporary, the State intending to recover funds owed by energy companies and not settled.
The senators also adopted, against the opinion of the government, several amendments by general rapporteur Jean-Franois Husson (LR). One aims to allocate more resources to the needs of communities for carrying out road works.
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Another allocates 100 million euros of credits to the renovation of water networks. Stop leaks, yes support for the redeployment of networks, launched Mr. Husson. But Mr. Attal judged that the amendment was satisfied by the announcement Monday by Elisabeth Borne of an increase of 100 million euros in resources for the water agencies. The rapporteur has also provided for a top-up in credits for the maintenance of bridges.
The senators also voted for a centrist amendment increasing the credits allocated to the France Services houses.
The majority communist and ecologist CRCE groups voted against the PLFR. These corrections are the shortcomings, I would even say the errors, of yesterday, reprimanded the president of the CRCE group Eliane Assassi. The Socialist Group abstained.