The scrutiny of the budget is increasingly strained for the executive as the setbacks pile up. After the adoption of a tax on dividends on Wednesday evening, the National Assembly adopted Thursday, October 13 an “exit-tax”, a tax on the tax exile of business leaders. All the opposition was for it, despite the reluctance of the government and its budget minister Gabriel Attal.
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“Our fiscal policy, the choices we make that we have made in recent years, must be assessed as a whole“, tried to defend the minister. “It has one objective, which is to strengthen the attractiveness of our country. So I say: let’s not break something that works, which allows us both to be attractive and at the same time not to give in to the fight against fraud and optimization.“, continued Gabriel Attal.
A plea that will not be enough. The measure is adopted: 155 votes for, 133 votes against. And once again cheers from the opposition benches. A setback that is all the more bitter for the majority since some of the Modem deputies voted for this amendment. And this is the second time that François Bayrou’s party has played a decisive role in the votes. Wednesday evening, it was downright the boss of centrist deputies who proposed an amendment to increase a tax on super-dividends. Despite the unfavorable opinion of the government, the amendment was adopted, provoking the anger of the government and the incomprehension of the Renaissance deputies.
A behavior almost qualified as “slingshot” within the majority. “It’s not a matter of slingshot“, defends the deputy of Yvelines and spokesperson for the Modem Bruno Millienne. “It is a matter of social justice and value sharing. It would have been an amendment that made the government spend money unduly, I would have understood. But there, we make them win a little bit”he continues.
“Honestly, I don’t understand the tension on this subject.”
Bruno Millienne, Modem MP for Yvelinesat franceinfo
Votes that have a little trouble getting through to some of the macronists. “Some give themselves a clear conscience at little cost“, annoyed a framework of the majority. The proof in any case, wants to believe another, that it is time to engage article 49.3 to stop giving the image of a government which connects the disappointments.