The National Assembly adopted on the night of Tuesday November 8 to Wednesday November 9 alterations to the 2022 budget, with new anti-inflation measures such as an energy check. The deputies adopted at first reading (with 181 votes against 137) this draft amending budget, which aims to cushion for this end of the year the shock of the rise in prices.
“The text has been significantly enriched” during the debates, rejoiced the Minister Delegate for Public Accounts Gabriel Attal, hoping that it was not a question “not just a parenthesis”. “By this vote, the National Assembly has adopted essential measures to continue to protect the daily life of the French” : exceptional energy check for 12 million households, financial aid for the French heating with wood, support for universities for their energy bills, he added.
Despite the absence of an absolute majority, the government did not have to resort to article 49.3 of the Constitution for this text, unsheathed in recent weeks to pass the course of the first reading of the budgets of the State and Social Security for 2023. The amending budget was able to be adopted at first reading thanks in particular to the abstention of the opposition groups LR and Socialists, satisfied that some of their proposals have been heard.
The session went on until 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday, causing some cringe. Some deputies like the communist Sébastien Jumel deplored a pace that did not allow “a calm debate”. This amending budget, the second of the year, contains measures to support universities in the face of rising energy prices and armies in the face of fuel prices. It also extends the discount of 30 cents per liter at the pump until November 15.
The project also provides for the payment of an energy check of 100 to 200 euros for the most modest households, ie an amount of 1.5 billion euros. Credits are also opened for aid to farmers. Strongly criticized in recent weeks by the opposition, accusing it of not taking into account the 49.3 votes of the Assembly, the government has given the green light to several of their proposals.
The presidential majority and the opposition thus voted together in favor of a socialist amendment providing aid of 230 million euros for households heating with wood, whether logs or pellets, these cylindrical sticks whose prices explode.
Aid of 40 million euros, via another socialist amendment, was adopted in favor of associations working in food aid, which are increasingly in demand. As well as an LFI amendment to 8 million euros to allow a revaluation of the staff of municipal health centers.
An LR amendment to increase by 29 million euros the resources dedicated to “MaPrimeRénov'”, a device for aiding the thermal renovation of housing, was also voted. The adoption of another LR amendment removed for 2023 the criterion of condition of resources of the device when it comes to global renovations. The Assembly also adopted aid of 5 million euros to the press, to deal with the rise in the price of paper.
The presidential camp, on the other hand, united to reject the proposals which had already animated the examination of the budget for 2023, refusing that this amending budget be a “return match”. The text must now be examined by the senators.