MPs grant themselves an increase of 300 euros per month: why this measure is highly criticized: Femme Actuelle Le MAG

An increase that goes badly, while many French people no longer make ends meet. On Wednesday January 24, 2024, the deputies decided to increase their advance mandate fees (AFM) by an additional 305 euros per month, which made it go from 5,645 euros to 5,950 euros (+5.4%). As explained Releasethis system allows elected officials from the Bourbon Palace to pay for their travel, rent their permanent premises in their constituency and cover expenses “accommodation, reception and representation expenses”. If the envelope, the use of which has been controlled since 2018, is not fully used, the remaining funds must be returned to the treasury of the National Assembly. As a reminder, MPs also receive compensation of 7,637 euros gross per month. This increase in the AFM comes in the midst of an agricultural crisis, in a context of inflation which is undermining the purchasing power of households.

MPs’ compensation increased by 250 euros in 2022

All the political groups present at the office of the National Assembly, with the exception of La France insoumise (LFI), supported this increase in their advance of mandate fees. “300 euros more for deputies? This is the monthly income of a third of farmers! I will pay these 300 euros to Solidarité Paysans, which provides help to their colleagues in difficulty.”, reacted MP François Ruffin on X (ex-Twitter). While the question of indexing all salaries to inflation was dismissed by the government, this boost for parliamentarians sparked numerous outraged comments on social networks, with some recalling that MPs’ compensation had been increased by 250 euros per month in 2022, by virtue of the increase in the index point of civil servants. “Useful clarification: the socialist group is formally against this increase. Valérie Rabault [présidente du groupe socialiste à l’Assemblée nationale], was absent during the vote. This decision was taken by the Assembly office alone. The deputies were absolutely not informed in advance”, However, Olivier Faure, first secretary of the PS, said on X.