While energy prices worry, the Assembly and the Senate oppose new aid to companies on electricity. Behind the scenes, a showdown as technical as it is political highlights the differences in approach within Nupes. Jean-Rémi Baudot’s political brief
It’s a simple article, in the middle of a bill on the nationalization of EDF, which could change the lives of thousands of entrepreneurs. In February, the Assembly voted to return to regulated electricity tariffs for all companies with up to 5,000 employees. Rates exceptionally blocked for one year. A tariff shield at 160 euros per Megawatt/hour, very far from the 1000 euros currently found on certain invoices. And well below the 280 maximum promised by the government.
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In the Assembly, everyone voted for this text, except Macronie. It is a notable fact, this amendment tabled by the deputy Insoumise Alma Dufour was voted by all the oppositions: Nupes, LR, RN… The deputies of the majority having left the hemicycle at the time of the vote to protest. The text is now in the Senate. The inspiration there is more liberal, and the atmosphere very different. Last Thursday, in the Senate Finance Committee, this amendment was unraveled. He returned to more classic contours.
With regulated tariffs only for VSEs (companies with fewer than 10 employees) and this, without distinction of power to avoid harming bakers. A system validated in particular by the Energy Regulation Commission.
At the PS, we recognize a costly device and contrary to European rules
The problem for France Insoumise is that this device is much less generous than the original text. With the Senate’s version, several hundreds of thousands of companies are getting out of this aid, but behind the scenes, interlocutors recall that the initial text obviously had a good intention… but that it would not be realistic.
No one is able to say how much this device might cost. The executive advances the figure of 18 billion, impossible to verify. From a pure constitutional point of view, such expenses would not be possible in an amendment. Others object that European law only allows such aid to VSEs and not for companies with up to 5,000 employees. Arguments taken up by the majority, but also in the ranks of the left: “This law, we know very well that we cannot maintain it as it is“, sighs a socialist.
Parliamentary work is paved with good intentions. It is a text which carries a project, which denounces the organization of the electricity market, which tries to bring help to the greatest number, but which is confronted with administrative, political and economic constraints. It also highlights the difference in approach within the Nupes between more committed LFI deputies and sometimes more reasonable socialists…