“There is no budget battle, there is a budget debate. » Monday, October 10 at the National Assembly, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, wanted to set the tone for the legislative marathon which opens this year, in a particular context. Deprived of an absolute majority in the Chamber for the first time in six years, the government is preparing to defend a 2023 finance bill (PLF) which, unless surprised, should be adopted without a vote, by resorting to article 49.3. It remains to be seen when. Because the executive aims both to show that it leaves room for discussion and to retain control of one of the first key texts of the five-year term – it extends, in particular, the tariff shield on the prices of energy, indexes the income tax scale to inflation, or even introduces a new reduction in production taxes (CVAE) for companies.
“I solemnly ask the government not to implement 49.3, indicated the president (La France insoumise, LFI) of the finance commission, Eric Coquerel. You must take into account (…) because there is no majority in the Assembly. “Yes, the French want us to debate this budget”, added the deputy (National Rally) Jean-Philippe Tanguy.
“Let’s focus on the subjects of the French: reindustrialisation, full employment, climate change, our energy choices”for his part pleaded Mr. Le Maire, while Gabriel Attal, the Minister Delegate for Public Accounts, defended “a vital budget for our country”. “There is a relative majority, but no alternative majority”, launched the former government spokesman.
3,500 amendments tabled
The first votes of the day seemed to prove him right, since even before the start of the PLF review, scheduled to begin Tuesday evening or Wednesday, the deputies had to decide on the public finance programming law. The text, which sets the executive’s budget trajectory over five years, with the aim of returning to below 3% deficit by 2027, was rejected on October 4 by the finance committee. It was the subject, on Monday, of a motion of rejection filed by La France insoumise and voted by Nupes. But the left alliance was not followed by the other parliamentary groups, in particular Les Républicains (LR), very few in the Hemicycle.
“Indeed, we do not know where the President of the Republic wants to take us”, conceded Véronique Louwagie, member of the finance commission. But “we want to discuss”explained MP LR from Orne, recalling also that “France has the highest rate of compulsory levies in Europe, so this is not the right formula”. The Nupes, whose various groups voted for the motion, have also been criticized for refusing the debate. LFI’s second motion to reject, on the PLF, was also rejected.
You have 47.98% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.