The National Assembly decided on Wednesday to increase the advance of mandate expenses (AFM) of deputies by a little more than 300 euros per month, citing inflation, AFP learned from parliamentary sources. The decision to increase the AFM from 5,645 euros to 5,950 euros (+5.4%) per month was taken by the office, the highest body of the National Assembly, with the support of all political groups, except LFI which abstained.
The deputies also extended the advance of mandate costs to cover childcare, provided that the deputies do not request tax deductions at the same time. The advance of mandate fees allows the rental of a office, to finance travel, to cover certain accommodation expenses, reception and representation costs. These expenses have been controlled since 2018 and unused sums must be returned to the National Assembly treasury.
Certain parliamentary collaborators “paid part-time at the minimum wage level”
This advance, which is added to the remuneration of elected officials (7,637 euros gross per month) replaced the controversial IRFM, an envelope whose use was not verified and which gave rise to abuses in the purchase of televisions for vacation pay, for example.
Among the unions of parliamentary collaborators, Unsa criticized the increase in the advance of mandate fees. “The Union of Parliamentary Collaborators Unsa denounces this decision which took place, while the Assembly refuses, on the grounds that it would cost too much for the institution, to increase the collaborators’ credit,” denounced the union. “Currently 11,118 euros per month, this envelope is used to pay the deputies’ teams”, “generally made up of three employees” and which can “count up to five”, he recalls.
“It is high time that the authorities of the National Assembly fully consider the working conditions of parliamentary collaborators”, some of whom “are paid part-time at the minimum wage”, insists the union.