This is the subject on which Emmanuel Macron finds himself on the defensive, two weeks before the first round of the presidential election. Ten days after the publication of a Senate report, denouncing the government’s extensive use of consulting firms, especially the American McKinsey, by affirming that this company would not have paid any tax in France between 2011 and 2020, the President candidate assured that there would be nothing illegal. “There is no contract that has been signed in the Republic without respecting the rule of public procurement: competition, transparency, responsibility of those who sign…”he said, Sunday March 27, on France 3. “We have the impression that there are tricks, it’s not true. There are public procurement rules. France is a country of law”, he insisted. Only ministries, which are “day and night at work”rely on “providers” to help them, “don’t shock me”he said.
“So everything is clear on that? »raises the journalist. “Yes, otherwise it’s criminal”, Mr. Macron continued. Before challenging those who say otherwise to launch legal action. “That anyone who has proof of manipulation, bring the contract into question in criminal proceedings”, said the head of state. pleading for the “transparency” be done, he insisted: “If there is a problem, there are judges and an independent judiciary. » And to repeat: “If there is evidence of manipulation, let it go to the criminal! »
While his opponents for the presidential election summon him to explain this frequent use of private consulting firms, which the Senate considers a “sprawling phenomenon”at the growing cost to public finances, Mr. Macron tried to counterattack. “I am not convinced that under this five-year term, there have been fewer contracts than under certain others, including some who are attacking us today”, did he declare. A strange formula, which suggests that his tongue has forked, evoking “fewer contracts”while his demonstration aimed on the contrary to insinuate that his predecessors would have made more use of consulting firms.
Tax refund?
As for the tax optimization practiced by McKinsey, if he had thought “shocked” Wednesday, on M6, because this consulting firm would not have paid corporation tax for ten years, according to the revelations of the senators’ report, Mr. Macron estimated that this was explained by the tax rules in vigor. “No one is taxing companies like this because those are not the rules”he assured, stressing that this was part of“an international battle”which he himself carried out in Europe, in order to compel companies to pay “minimum tax”. Especially the digital giants. “We have an international agreement, Europe is in the process of transcribing it under the French presidency of the European Union. We are going to pass the minimum tax for all corporations and all these cases can be banned. In a few months, we will be able to do it”, he promised. A reference to the international taxation project for the largest companies, designed as a weapon against tax havens and dumping strategies. “I have been fighting since the beginning of my mandate for all companies that work in France and make profits in France to pay tax”, again assured Mr. Macron.
You have 19.74% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.