The project of the New People’s Economic and Social Union (Nupes) to tax the superprofits of companies “does not meet the conditions” fixed to be able to be the subject of a referendum of shared initiative (RIP), judged Tuesday, October 25 the Constitutional Council.
The bill of the left alliance (La France insoumise, Socialist Party, French Communist Party and Europe Ecologie-Les Verts) “creating an additional contribution on the exceptional profits of large companies does not meet the constitutional and organic conditions” planned, said the members of the council.
The Nupes wanted to be able to submit to a citizen consultation its bill, presented a month ago and signed by 240 parliamentarians, aimed at taxing “crisis profiteers” at the heart of heated political debates. In its sights: large companies with a turnover of more than 750 million euros and profits more than 25% higher than the average of those made between 2017 and 2019, which would have been taxed from 20% to 33% until the end of 2025.
“Capitalist rent is well protected”
The decision of the Constitutional Council cut short its hope of a referendum, without even going to the next stage of the RIP procedure, which required the collection of nearly five million signatures of support. The Nupes project does not correspond, according to the members of the council, to the category of texts which can be the subject of a RIP, according to the terms of the Constitution.
The Constitutional Council notes that the proposal has “for the sole effect of supplementing the State budget by the introduction until December 31, 2025 of a measure which is limited to increasing the level of the existing taxation of the profits of certain companies”when it should have been“a reform relating to the economic policy of the nation” to meet the required conditions.
“I don’t understand the review” of the Constitutional Council, reacted the “rebellious” deputy Eric Coquerel on Twitter. “Between the impediment of the RIP and 49.3 which deprives us of putting it to the vote, capitalist rent is well protected. »
The left is convinced that the majority of French people are in favor of this increased taxation of superprofits, after the excitement caused by the impressive results of large groups such as TotalEnergies, Sanofi or the shipowner CMA-CGM, in the midst of crisis and power buying at half mast.