Nupes accuses the government of preparing a VAT hike. The Minister of Finance denounces a “fake news”.
Here is a pass of arms and a battle of numbers that last. And, obviously, neither of the two protagonists seems ready to interrupt it, a few days before the second round of the legislative elections.
Read alsoLegislative 2022: Jean-Luc Mélenchon prepares a frontal opposition
Sunday evening, after the results of the first ballot, Jean-Luc Mélenchon castigated the “fatal projectsby Emmanuel Macron, and in particular “the hidden part of his program” with “80 billion euros that he intends to withdraw from the State budget to achieve the return of the 3% deficit imprudently promised to the European Commission».
The left alliance says that Bercy is preparing to impose a VAT increase. “Fake news“, swept Bruno Le Maire, Tuesday on France 2. “I think it shows the true face of the Nupes, who proceed by lying, manipulation and fear.” On BFMTV, the Minister of Finance also assured him: “We will not raise taxes, we will continue to lower taxes.»
“Manipulation” and “slander”
Since then, the altercations between the minister and the leader of La France insoumise have multiplied. Even in the comments on Facebook. Under a publication by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Bruno Le Maire denounced the “lying“, the “manipulation» and the «calumnyof his remarks. On Twitter, the leader of Nupes added: “The Minister challenges me again (…) I come back from RTL through the hell of Porte Maillot traffic and I finish writing my answer.»
Thing promised, thing due. On his site, Jean-Luc Mélenchon has published an open letter to the Minister of Finance. A response detailing the accusations of the Nupes but also, its economic program. And a scathing conclusion:The government must save 80 billion to reduce the deficit to 3%. He confessed 40 billion. Where do you take them? And where did the other half of the promised savings go? And with such an austerity cure in the form of a cure for killing a horse, how do you intend to prevent the French economy from being suffocated? Now it’s your turn to answer.»
“Give me time to deal with emergencies”
For his part, Bruno Le Maire quipped on Twitter: “Since you have come back from the hell of Porte Maillot dear Jean-Luc Mélenchon, give me time to deal with the morning emergencies at Bercy and I will answer your open letter. Patience and length of time are more than strength or rage.»
These interpellations clearly reflect one thing: the electoral battle for the legislative elections will have been marked by the theme of the economy. Gradually, the duel between Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Luc Mélenchon turned into a confrontation of two programs at the antipodes. “His program would drive our country straight to bankruptcy.“, had already thus alarmed in our columns the Minister of the Economy, qualifying the leader of the Insoumis of”Gallic Chavez». “The government is playing the card of fear and economic disaster”had then replied Jean-Luc Mélenchon, during a press conference on the economic program of Nupes.