Studied by the deputies, the amending finance bill includes several measures in favor of purchasing power.
The National Assembly is completing, with a delay, a first cycle of intense debate around the question of purchasing power. In a context of massive inflation, the deputies voted last week the bill on the purchasing power. They must now complete the examination of the amending finance bill (PLFR), the second stage of the rocket mounted by the government to preserve the purchasing power of the French. The text gives rise to long debates, which should have already ended on Monday, and thorny ones: in the evening, Bruno Le Maire came out of his hinges and denounced the “pure politician politics» objections. On the substance, here are the main elements of the text.
Several billion euros released for the renationalization of EDF
The credit for the 100% renationalization of EDF was voted on Tuesday by the National Assembly. In total, the operation intended to get the group out of its financial and industrial rut will amount to 9.7 billion euros. This amount was approved by 209 votes against 156. Environmentalists denounced the “going all nuclear“While LR conversely deplored the closure of the Fessenheim nuclear power plant.
Abolition of the audiovisual license fee
Desired by Emmanuel Macron during the presidential campaign, the abolition of the audiovisual license fee was voted by the deputies this weekend with 170 votes for and 57 against. It will normally be replaced in the years to come by a deflection of part of the VAT.
Overtime, RTT: measures to reward work
Other measures supported by the right have also been validated. Elected officials thus approved on Friday an increase in the tax exemption ceiling for overtime for 2022, which thus goes from 5,000 to 7,500 euros. They also gave the green light to the possibility for companies to buy back from employees the days of RTT which they would have given up, a measure defended by Valérie Pécresse during the presidential campaign.
A setback for the executive on the financing of local authorities
The executive has recorded several setbacks, such as on the issue of funding for local authorities. At the end of the evening, Saturday, the deputies of the majority were outvoted by the oppositions, who managed to vote for 2022 the allocation of 120 million to the departments which pay the RSA, in order to fully compensate for the increase of 4 % of this benefit programmed by the State. An expense decided by thosewho only have the word restoration of public finances in their mouths“, choked the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire.
A second setback on aid for fuel oil
Another setback was recorded by the government on aid granted to French people heating with fuel oil. The deputies voted for an amendment carried by LR Jérôme Nury, reinforcing these in the form “a tariff shield or a compensation system“. Total cost: 230 million euros, while the executive expected an amount of only 50 million euros. This change, which should benefit “three million households“, according to the deputy LR, was voted by 164 votes against 153, thanks to the alliance of the oppositions Nupes and RN. For his part, the boss of Bercy said to himself “amazed to see parliamentarians who have only the word restoration of public finances in their mouths incur such public expenditure».
Third setback on the revaluation of retirement pensions
New accident for the presidential majority. On Tuesday, the deputies voted against the government’s opinion on an additional revaluation of 500 million euros on retirement pensions. The purpose of this amendment is to allow a revaluation of pensions taking into account the real level of inflation, that is to say, for the year 2022, inflation (in mass) at 5.5%. According to centrist MP Charles de Courson (LIOT), the government has proposed a cumulative revaluation of 5.1%, “0.4% additional cost is therefore missing from July to December 2022“. This cost is thus estimated at 500 million euros for public finances.
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The vote on this amendment by the independent group LIOT was won by 186 votes to 181, with the left immediately celebrating a “nice victory“. The amendment was supported by the RN, LFI, the PS, the Ecologists, and the radical left. Despite his unfavorable opinion, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, agreed that in view of the rise in inflation, “there would most likely be another pension increase in January 2023».
Towards a compromise on fuel
The issue of fuel prices has sparked debate. Putting employers to work, the Assembly voted to double the tax-free aid that companies can pay to employees to cover their fuel costs, raising the ceiling from 200 to 400 euros. At the same time, elected officials also supported a modification favorable to the increase in meal vouchers, anticipating the revaluation of exemptions for employers.
However, the discussions should not dwell on this file. Indeed, a compromise was found between the majority and LR: while the executive wanted to replace the rebate of 18 cents currently applied to each liter of fuel with a more targeted compensation, he agreed to backpedal and reinforce the discount to the liter. This should therefore be extended over time and increase to 30 cents per litre.
Reinforcement of aids for cycling
In the evening, Monday, the discussions were the opportunity to vote on an article aimed at promoting the use of bicycles, which are more ecological and less subject to the inflation of fossil fuels. Thus, for the most modest households, aid for the purchase of an electrically assisted bicycle (VAE) will increase from €200 to €400. An evolution carried by an amendment of the majority. MEPs also voted to extend the conversion bonus (PAC) to the purchase of a bicycle per person in the household, and an opening of the bonus “other bikesto folding bikes.
Still several hundred amendments to study
The discussions will continue late into the night of Tuesday, around, in particular, fuel and energy checks. 150 amendments still have to be considered by MEPs.
All of these measures complement those that have already been included in the “emergency” bill for purchasing power. Among them, the revaluation of pensions and social benefits, the increase in the ceiling of the “prime Macronand again, in a rare moment of harmony, the deconjugalization of the disabled adult allowance.
SEE ALSO – Law on purchasing power: the National Assembly votes the text in first reading