And thirteen. While discussions on the 2024 finance bill (PLF) began in the National Assembly, Tuesday October 17 at the end of the afternoon, the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, chose to resort, for the thirteenth time , in article 49.3 of the Constitution, Wednesday October 18. That is, less than twenty-four hours after the opening of the debates, and even before the examination of the introductory article of the bill.
Of the 5,200 amendments tabled by the deputies, none could be addressed in the Hemicycle. “Today, the observation is clear: no opposition group is ready to vote for this PLF, but our country needs this budget”justified Ms. Borne, raising her voice to cover the opposition’s questions. “You’re so afraid of losing!” » accused the president of the “rebellious” group, Mathilde Panot.
“Stop your blabbering!” » launched the RN deputy for the Somme, Jean-Philippe Tanguy, to the Prime Minister, before being called to order by the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet. Ministers Bruno Le Maire (economy and finance) and Thomas Cazenave (public accounts) were also criticized by the President of the Assembly for wanting to leave the Chamber, even before the session was adjourned.
The use of this article of the Constitution is not a surprise, given the political configuration which has deprived the government of an absolute majority since June 2022. But this is the first time that Elisabeth Borne has used it so quickly on a structuring text like the budget. In 2022, she activated it after a week of negotiations. Enough to arouse the ire of the opposition, who denounced “a denial of democracy”.
“The French have their heads elsewhere”
“The 49.3 method is a method of closing the debate, a method of forceful passage”, castigated Eric Coquerel, the “rebellious” president of the finance committee. “Everyone knew that 49.3 would have arrived, but to do it so suddenly and for the first time without even starting the debate in session, it is an innovation that we would have done well without”, added the socialist deputy for Puy-de-Dôme, Christine Pirès Beaune, deploring that the executive “deprives the French of a debate worthy of the name”.
The deputies of La France insoumise announced the tabling of a motion of censure to overthrow the Borne government, hoping that their environmentalist and communist allies would add their signatures to their text. The socialist elected officials refuse, after having recorded their suspension of participation in the intergroup, which brings together the four left-wing parties of the New Ecological and Social Popular Union. As for the RN group, it tabled its motion of censure on Wednesday evening, calling on the Republicans to vote for it.
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