Left-wing deputies representing the Overseas Territories feared Wednesday a “social explosion” in these territories if the bill on purchasing power did not take their difficulties more into consideration.
We risk going towards a social explosion, warned Jean-Hugues Ratenon (LFI), considering that the text under consideration at the Palais Bourbon reflected an unacceptable abandonment of the Overseas Territories.
The elected representative of La Runion called on the government to declare a state of social emergency in the territories, during a press conference of a dozen deputies from the left alliance Nupes.
All deplored that the text aimed at strengthening purchasing power in the face of rising inflation does not take into account the situation in these territories, where the current price increases are added to a cost of living which is already higher than in metropolis.
With, in addition, unimaginable unemployment rates in France, the Overseas Territories are likely to experience memorable social explosions in the near future, said the rebellious deputy from Martinique Jean-Philippe Nilor.
The elected representative of Saint-Denis de La Runion Philippe Naillet (socialist group) also felt that a great anger is brewing, and called on the government to catch up during the rest of the legislative course of the text.
We are not agitators, we are not there to call for revolt, but we feel that anger is brewing and we are alerting, pleaded his Reunionese colleague Karine Lebon (Communist group).
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Overseas Minister Jean-Franois Carenco is to meet in Paris in the coming weeks with companies operating in overseas territories in order to be able to significantly reduce the cost of living.
Parliamentary sources also told AFP on Wednesday that the National Assembly could vote for a reinforced rent shield for the Overseas Territories, in order to limit rent increases there to a maximum of 2.5%, against 3.5% in the overseas territories. ‘Hexagon, during further consideration of the bill.
This gesture towards the overseas territories could be made through support from the presidential camp for an amendment from the composite opposition group Liot (Liberties, Independents, Overseas, Territories).