Tense atmosphere at the Assembly. The deputies voted this Thursday against the opinion of the government, a socialist text for a “nationalization” of EDF without risk of “dismantling”, but also for a tariff shield extended to artisans, in particular bakers.
By 205 votes for and 1 against, the National Assembly adopted at first reading the bill “aiming to protect the EDF group from dismemberment”, by the deputy for Eure Philippe Brun and carried by the socialist deputies. The majority groups did not participate in the ballot, having left the hemicycle accusing one of the articles of circumventing the Constitution on the tariff shield.
“We have to respect our Constitution. Under these conditions the presidential majority refuses to continue to participate in these debates which are only a masquerade”, launched the president of the Renaissance group Aurore Bergé in the hemicycle of the National Assembly.
His colleagues (Renaissance, MoDem and Horizons groups) then left the hemicycle under the broca and the ironic applause, leaving the Minister of Industry Roland Lescure alone on the bench surrounded by the opposition.
The deputies of the presidential camp protested against the retention in the text of a measure to extend the energy tariff shield to more beneficiaries, and in particular artisan bakers. They judged it to have no legal link with the EDF nationalization bill and contrary to the Constitution, because it added a financial burden for the State.
The majority was opposed to this measure, highlighting the risks of incompatibility with a European directive in particular, in addition to a significant cost and difficulties of implementation.
Eliminate any risk of dismantling
The state is already trying to complete a takeover bid to renationalise the electricity giant. Bercy also argued Wednesday that the state held “95.82% of the capital”, the rest of the operation being suspended to a decision of the Paris Court of Appeal on the appeal of certain minority shareholders.
But Philippe Brun, who intends to set the operator’s activities in stone, estimated on Wednesday that the takeover bid left the possibility of “dismantling” the group, suspecting the executive of not having given up on a controversial restructuring project involving the separation of nuclear, hydroelectric and renewable activities.