To “eat better” despite inflation, a text proposes an “exceptional food bonus for all households”, of at least 50 euros per person per month, as well as the introduction in school canteens of two vegetarian menus per week or a vegetarian option at all meals.
It is a coincidence of the calendar: the “parliamentary niche” of environmentalists takes place during the eleventh day of mobilization against the pension reform. A telescoping which makes some fear that the hemicycle is bald on the left side during certain votes. However, they intend to defend their texts during this day reserved for the Assembly concerning the ban on private jets, the RSA from the age of 18 and a food bonus. On this last point, whose working title is “Eat better”, completely unraveled in committee, the Green MPs intend to defend their positions, despite everything.
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In this bill, which should open the ball Thursday, April 6, environmentalists will defend a “food bonus” to help the most precarious to cope with inflation, of at least 50 euros per month and per person, from the month of July 2023.”We aim to respond to the food emergency and therefore we offer a food bonus that would be paid to beneficiaries of social minima. We want to stop with measures that we consider to be paternalistic, we want to be able to leave the choice of being able to go to the supermarket and buy what they consider to be good for their health“, specifies the deputy Francesca Pasquini, carrier of this text with dimensions”social, health and environmental“.
“We must automate this bonus”
In fact, nearly 11 million people would be affected, with an estimated cost of more than 6.5 billion euros each year. A device deemed too complex and too expensive by the macronist camp, which asks to leave the hand to the executive to implement a presidential promise slow to materialize. The government assures that a “experimentation“food voucher will be launched”in the next few months“.
Incidentally, the measure carried by EELV is supposed to immediately relieve the associations, saturated with requests for aid. “The government says a lot that it will help the French on food. But how long have we been talking about food vouchers: six months, a year, more? But we know that people don’t go looking for cheques, because the procedures are complicated. This is why we say that this bonus must be automated and must arrive directly on the bank accounts of each person.“, defends Sandra Regol, the other ecologist deputy at the origin of the text.
Ecologists have not given up on leading the battle against nitrites either, within the framework of this same text “Eat better”. They will advocate a ban from 2024 on nitrate additives in all deli meats, or at least in cooked ham,”particularly popular with children“, and in certain collective catering services. They also defend the establishment of two vegetarian menus per week or a vegetarian option at all meals, in school canteens.