The Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty was the guest of the 8:30 a.m. france infoMonday March 13, 2023. Pension reform, public spending, thermal cars, French banks, anti-inflation basket… He answered questions from Marc Fauvelle and Salhia Brakhlia.
Pensions: “We are working on this only option: to build a majority” before the final vote
Before this decisive week for the pension reform, the Minister of the Economy repeats it: “We are working on this only option: to build a majority”. The text will be examined on Wednesday in a joint committee, then submitted to the vote of Parliament on Thursday. “I have no doubt that the majority will unite,” insists the minister. For him, the elected representatives of the Renaissance have “no reason not to vote for this reform”, despite the reluctance displayed by some deputies such as Barbara Pompili. About forty votes are missing from the majority to vote for the text and the minister is convinced that he will be able to find them at Les Républicains: “It would be crazy to have a party that votes for a text in the Senate and does not vote for it in the National Assembly”, he points out. Bruno Le Maire assures us: “The 49.3 is not on the table”the majority puts “all its forces to achieve a majority”.
Public finances: “Lowering social spending or aid to businesses is not a taboo”
Bruno Le Maire defends himself after the publication on Friday of the annual report of the Court of Auditors, which urges the government to restore public finances after the Covid period. “We came out of ‘whatever it takes'”assures the Minister of the Economy. “We have set up more targeted aid for companies or for the fuel allowance”, he argues. Bruno Le Maire says he wants “working with the Court of Auditors” to reduce public spending to “54% of national wealth by 2027”against “57% today”.
“Lowering social spending or business aid is not a taboo”, launches the Minister of the Economy. Mid-April, Bruno Le Maire will present a “stability program” before a “seminar with all the main ministers” to reduce expenditure in their administrations. Finally, “Basis of public finances” will stand “before summer” For “to have a 2024 finance bill which will include several billion euros in public spending savings”.
End of thermal cars in 2035: “We must not shift this objective”
While the countries reluctant to ban the thermal car in 2035 meet Monday, March 13 in Strasbourg, Bruno Le Maire affirms his opposition: “We must not shift this objective”he thunders. “We cannot say that there is a climate emergency and back down on the objective of switching to electric cars”he continues, indirectly targeting refractory countries, such as Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and Poland. “We are ready to go to the showdown”, insists the Minister. He assures us that, on the contrary, the transition to electric cars is a “economic opportunity” : “We must invest twice in batteries, electric motors”.
Bankruptcy of two American banks: “There is no risk of contagion in France”
“There is no risk of contagion in France”says Bruno Le Maire after the bankruptcy of two American banks, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank. “We have strong banks and banking system”, reassures the Minister of the Economy. The liquidity ratio is “pupil” in French banks and establishments “diversify their activities”. “We are obviously monitoring the situation very closely”he concludes.
Anti-inflation quarter: “We are going to check that this price drop is not just a game of cap and display”
THE “anti-inflation quarter” launched by the government is not a “cache-misère” assures Bruno Le Maire, who recalls that the major distributors are committed to “save several hundred million euros in savings on their margins”. The Minister of the Economy ensures that “controls” will be made for “check that this price drop is not just a game of hat and display” and that it is the distributors who are cutting back on their margins to ensure these reduced prices for consumers.
The Minister of the Economy will meet Michel-Edouard Leclerc on Wednesday, he who is critical of the operation “anti-inflation quarter”. “I want Leclerc to participate in the operation”, insists the minister. Bruno Le Maire also recalls that new negotiations will begin in June: “The big manufacturers will have to renegotiate their prices with the distributors and they too will have to take their share of the burden”concludes the Minister.
Influencers’ drifts: “The Net is not the Wild West”
Bercy has launched an online consultation to better supervise the work of influencers, targeted by several controversies in recent months. “Influencers must be subject to the same rules” than other companies, assures Bruno Le Maire. “We want to give them a status and strengthen controls”continues the minister because “the net is not the Wild West”. “It’s not a fight against influencers”, he insists. “We want a device to protect influencers not to stigmatize them.”
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Find the entire “8:30 am franceinfo” of Monday March 13, 2023: