The government will draw article 49.3 of the Constitution “probably” on Wednesday to allow the adoption without a vote of the first part of its finance bill for 2023 in the National Assembly, its spokesperson Olivier Véran announced on Tuesday.
“We will see how the debates evolve during the day”
The use of 49.3 will be “probably for tomorrow”, Wednesday, the last day of examination of the expenditure part of the draft budget for 2023 by the Assembly, under “the constitutional deadline” provided, assured Olivier Véran on France 2. “Now we will see how the debates evolve during the day” on Tuesday, he warned.
Article 49.3 of the Constitution allows the executive to pass a text without a vote, unless a motion of censure is adopted. Having only a relative majority in the Palais Bourbon, the government had allowed the use of this tool during the Council of Ministers last Wednesday. But Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced on Sunday that it would not be activated before Tuesday or Wednesday, so that “the debate takes place”.
She then praised “quality exchanges” and “interesting proposals”, ensuring that “some, those of the majority and those of the opposition, could be included in the final text”. Olivier Véran gave no indication of the amendments concerned.
In the immediate future, the government should in particular maintain the increase in the tax credit ceiling for childcare for children under 6, the reduction in corporation tax for small SMEs, the abolition of the tax advantage enjoyed by private jets or even the reduction to 5.5% of the VAT on masks.