The day promises to be busy for the executive. The government presents three fundamental texts in the Council of Ministers, Monday, September 26 from 10 a.m.: lth Finance Bill 2023 (PLF), the project of Social Security Financing Act (PLFSS) and the bill on the “acceleration of renewable energies”. A report more substantial than usual will take place in stride. Hosted by spokesperson Olivier Véran, it will take place in the presence of several ministers, including Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister of Energy Transition, and François Braun, Minister of Health. Follow our live.
Some measures already known. In an interview to Sunday newspaperthe Minister Delegate for Public Accounts, Gabriel Attal, unveiled certain measures contained in the finance bill, the aim of which is to protect against inflation and contain the public deficit. The tariff shield “will block the rise in gas and electricity bills at 15% instead of 120%” he says, also announcing a drop in “income tax of 6.2 billion euros, a gain of more than 200 euros for someone paid 2,000 euros net per month”.
The pension reform in ambush. With regard to the PLFSS, hangs over it the possible introduction, by a government amendment, of the pension reform. Oppositions are standing against this idea, and even the majority is divided on the subject. In The Sunday newspaperGabriel Attal affirms that “This point will be decided by the President and the Prime Minister”. But the Minister assures him: “Yes, we will reform pensions.”
The social security deficit further revised downwards. After the abyssal record of 2020 (nearly 39 billion euros), it will further decrease significantly in 2023 and reach 6.8 billion euros, according to the draft Social Security financing bill, consulted by AFP. Conversely, the old age branch should quickly plunge again and widen its losses. Enough to fuel the debate on the advisability of a new pension reform.
The use of article 49-3 in question. Unless it finds enough allies – about forty votes are missing – on the opposition benches, the executive will have to resolve to force a passage, without a vote, by resorting to article 49-3 of the the Constitution for the PLF and the PLFSS. A hypothesis all the more probable if the track of the amendment on the pension reform is retained.