Low-income households will be the main victims of the ten billion euros in budget cuts announced by the executive, around thirty associations fighting against poverty and exclusion are alarmed on Monday, asking to be urgently received by the Prime Minister.
“While the economy is slowing down and unemployment is stagnating, the government has decided to make 10 billion euros in budget cuts,” deplores the Alerte collective, which brings together 34 associations fighting against poverty. “Low-income households will be the main contributors to loan cancellations.”
Based on the decree published in the Official Journal, the collective highlights in particular the plans impacting access to employment and support for economic changes (1.1 billion euros), aid for MaPrimeRénov renovation ( 1 billion), housing allowances (300 million) or even state medical aid (50 million).
“This trajectory of reduction in public spending, coupled with the reform of the active solidarity income (RSA) and the abolition of the specific solidarity allowance, is very worrying and the poorest are once again put under pressure while the costs food and energy weigh considerably on these people,” denounce the associations.
They are asking to meet “urgently” with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Minister of Labor, Health and Solidarity Catherine Vautrin “so that responses adapted to the social situation can be put in place”.
The 10 billion “immediate” savings were announced on February 19 by the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire after a downward revision of the French growth forecast in 2024. The decree published last Thursday in the Official Journal “cancels” budgeted expenditure in 29 areas, ranging from ecology to higher education, including justice, defense, territorial cohesion and public development assistance.