France, the Senate approved the budget bill to mitigate inflation
Inflation also runs in France, and the French president runs for cover. The Senate has in fact approved, in the first instance, the draft budget law which provides, among other things, the energy tariff shield, the fuel discount of 30 cents per liter for September-October and 10 between November and December, in addition to the revaluation of the index point for civil servants.
With 225 votes in favor and 101 against, the Senate approved the final budget bill with an endowment of 44 billion euros destined to support the purchasing power of the French and loans to the territories.
This is the second series of measures aimed at mitigating the impact of inflation on citizens and local communities, also in view of an autumn that promises to be particularly hot in terms of socio-economic claims.
In detail, the adopted text provides for the continuation of the energy tariff shield and it fuel discount of 30 cents per liter for September-October and 10 between November and December, in addition to the revaluation of the index point for civil servants.
Among the changes to the law already adopted by the National Assembly, the senators have introduced a further one support for communities affected in particular by rising energy prices and from the point of view of public employees, bringing the total endowment to 750 million euros.
Furthermore the Senate has accepted a strong request from the president of the Les Re’publicains group (LR, Gaullist right), Bruno Retailleau, voting 20 million credits to start the implementation of a Vitale biometric health card to fight fraud.
Causing an outcry on the left, i Senators have replaced, against the government’s opinion, the exceptional bonus for back to school in September of 100 euros, usually reserved for social minimums, with an exceptional increase of 150 euros for the beneficiaries of the activity bonus. Consent, however, on a 40 million euro envelope for food banks.
Other ‘hot spots’ of the text have already been adopted on Monday, provoking a show of shields from left-wing senators: with the support of the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Mairethe senators have made permanent the increase from 5,000 to 7,500 euros of the exemption ceiling from the tax on overtime, voted by the National Assembly for the year 2022 alone.
The High Assembly also voted, but against the government’s opinion, the perpetuation of the possibility for companies to buy back the days of reduction in working time (RTT) by employees – expected by deputies only until the end of 2023 – with a redemption free of taxes and contributions.
Broadcaster Bfmtv pointed out that the text is strongly divisive. In fact, the left-wing senators voted against, denouncing “steps backwards on the social level” while the communists highlighted a “now clear connivance between the senatorial right and the government”.
The traditional right, on the other hand, complimented the contributions made by the Senate that “consolidate purchasing power through work”.
By tonight, in the joint joint commission, deputies and senators will have to find an agreement on the text that could be definitively validated tomorrow.
The two chambers have already reached an agreement on the urgent bill containing another series of measures in support of purchasing power, which is falling as a result of the increase in the prices of raw materials and food in the context of the war in Ukraine.
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