The executive reaps a new setback in the National Assembly. The deputies voted by 78 votes against 54, Monday at the very end of the evening, three billion euros more for the development of the railway with a coalition of oppositions against the opinion of the macronists during the examination of the 2023 budget.
PS, LFI and LR had tabled amendments to “invest” in the train. However, the government will have the possibility of dismissing them when it again triggers a probable 49.3 to have this expenditure component of the State budget adopted without a vote.
“Billions fly in squadrons”, according to Beaune
The Minister for the Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, regretted the “showcase” of the opposition, without “starting from the need for the territories”. “Billions fly in squadron”, commented his colleague from Transport, Clément Beaune, who defended the “railway priority” of the executive, investments for “freight” or “night trains”.
To defend the amendment, the socialist Gérard Leseul had underlined the investment of “100 billion over fifteen years”, half of which was financed by the State, mentioned by the CEO of the SNCF Jean-Pierre Farandou. “We must put the package” for the “ecological bifurcation” in particular on the “piggyback”, abounded the LFI president of the Finance Committee, Eric Coquerel.
“It’s magic, it’s free, it’s Halloween, it’s the taxpayer who pays,” lamented Minister Clément Beaune. When “49.3” comes, “what are you going to keep from the credits we voted tonight? “, questioned in return the rebellious Clémence Guetté.