Tuesday morning, INSEE published the figures for France’s public deficit in 2023, which stands at 5.5%, well beyond the 4.9% hoped for. This Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal revealed, on TF1’s 8 p.m., the “levers” that the government is considering activating to restore color to public finances. The head of government notably promised a new reform of unemployment insurance to come into force by the fall. Gabriel Attal also ruled out a possible tax increase for the middle classes and wanted to reduce the duration of compensation for the unemployed by “several months”.
The main information :
- Gabriel Attal spoke this Wednesday in TF1’s 8 p.m.
- The Prime Minister indicated that there would be no tax increase for the “middle classes”
- He also announced that he wanted to reduce the duration of unemployment compensation by “several months”.
The Prime Minister says he is “very proud of his government” and talks about his method
Gabriel Attal spoke on TF1 of a government made up of “very different personalities” and said he wanted to maintain “proximity by traveling on the ground”. “It’s not by staying in Matignon that we are truly connected with the French. We need to be able to be challenged and yelled at.”
Gabriel Attal discusses working conditions in France
“There are too many workplace accidents in France, too many French people die at work. We must improve working conditions,” insisted the Prime Minister.
Attal raises the question of 35 hours
The Prime Minister, who a few weeks ago mentioned the hypothesis of “the week in four days”, said he wanted an experiment in several companies. “We need to get out of this straitjacket of 35 hours a week. There are public officials who say they want to work their hours, but over four days rather than five. This would reduce the inequality between French people who can telework and those who cannot. can’t.”
The avenues mentioned for reforming unemployment insurance
“One of the options is to reduce the duration of compensation by several months,” indicates the head of government who also confirms that a new reform of unemployment insurance would indeed take place this year, with the entry into force of here in the fall. The duration of work before being able to receive these benefits could also be reviewed. It would then be lowered by “several months”, without falling below the “12 months” mark. Finally, the question of the “level of compensation” is on the table, assures the head of government.
What about the tax on superprofits?
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said Wednesday on TF1 that he “never (have) had a dogma on the subject” of superprofits, recalling that energy companies and biology laboratories had already been subject to a specific tax.
Attal rules out possible tax increase
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal assured on TF1 that the government would not increase taxes “for the middle classes” and “for everything that helps finance the work of the French”. “I am waiting to see credible proposals from parliamentarians and social partners,” he said about the highest salaries.
Gabriel Attal speaks on the public deficit
“Everyone suffered from Covid, but not everyone protected their population as much as France,” argues the Prime Minister to explain the state of the country’s public deficit. And to indicate that “in the last 17 years, France’s deficit has been below 3% on only one occasion: under the five-year term of Emmanuel Macron”.
The State will file a complaint against the high school student who refused to remove her veil at Maurice-Ravel high school
Before discussing economic and budgetary issues, Gabriel Attal was questioned about the resignation of the principal of the Maurice-Ravel high school in Paris, victim of death threats after asking a high school student to remove her veil. The Prime Minister announced that the State would file a complaint against the teenager. Earlier in the day, he had received the resigning principal at Matignon.
Towards a tightening of unemployment insurance rules?
During the government seminar this Wednesday, the Minister of Labor, Catherine Vautrin, presented two avenues for tightening the rules of unemployment insurance. First, extend the waiting period for people benefiting from high severance pay, without affecting, at this stage, the amount and duration of compensation. And then extension of the malus bonus system for companies in order to fight against precarious employment. For now, nothing has been decided yet, assures a participant.
Attal focuses on work
Gabriel Attal decided to bring together his troops this Wednesday morning to hold a two-hour government seminar. The Prime Minister has established work as the preferred solution to replenish the state coffers. “It is incomprehensible to see that our unemployment rate is stagnating at 7% while companies are looking to recruit,” we explain to Matignon. Details can be found in our article.