Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne once again triggered article 49.3 of the Constitution in the National Assembly on Friday, to obtain the final adoption, without a vote, of the draft Social Security budget. Following a choreography that has become usual, this 20th use of 49.3, in front of an almost deserted hemicycle, prompted the announcement of a new motion of censure by the LFI group. It will be co-signed by deputies from other left-wing groups, indicated the Insoumis.
Its examination is scheduled for Monday morning, and its expected rejection will mean definitive adoption of the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) for 2024. “It is a budget of 640 billion euros for our social model, these are increasing means for our health, for the autonomy of the elderly and people with disabilities”, argued Elisabeth Borne, in a concise intervention.
The Social Security deficit would reach 10.5 billion euros in 2024
The leader of the Insoumis deputies, Mathilde Panot, responded on . The Social Security deficit, now estimated at 8.7 billion for 2023, would reach 10.5 billion for all branches in 2024 (compared to 11.2 billion in the initial text) according to the latest government estimates.
The accounts are particularly weighed down by the increase in health insurance expenses. The government plans to contain them at +3.2%, thanks to savings measures relating in particular to spending on medicines, analysis laboratories and even sick leave. Some sharpen the opposition, like the possibility of suspending an insured person’s benefits when a doctor mandated by the employer judges his work stoppage to be unjustified. Others are more consensual, such as free condoms for those under 26 or the reimbursement of reusable period protection for women under 26.*
The Senate rejected this budget
In the morning, the Senate dominated by the right had unsurprisingly rejected this budget on new reading, noting irreconcilable differences with the government. The upper house was able to examine the text in its entirety, and even adopt it on first reading with very large changes, but the government rejected most of its additions.
Two thorny subjects marked the parliamentary debates: the hypothesis of a contribution to the Agirc-Arrco supplementary pension scheme, managed by the social partners, and the envisaged increase in medical deductibles. On the first issue, after having left the threat of a drain via the PLFSS to contribute to the balance of the retirement system, the government confirmed that it was relying on negotiations between social partners.
The executive also accepted the principle, desired by the Senate, of seeking the opinion of Parliament’s social affairs committees before any modification of the amounts of franchises or fixed contributions. Doubling the remainder payable by policyholders for medicines (currently 50 cents per box) and consultations (1 euro) remains an option considered by the government.