France: the National Assembly adopts an extension of 20 billion to the budget

The 4th crisis budget of 2020 was adopted by the National Assembly (illustrative image).

ERIC FEFERBERG / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

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The National Assembly adopted in the early hours of Wednesday, November 11 the fourth and last revised budget project for 2020. Twenty billion euros in spending were added mainly to businesses and independents, a support that the oppositions would like to strengthen.

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At the start of the discussions, against a backdrop of discontent at the small businesses forced to close, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire "

" this new budget to them, promising them "

", in particular thanks to the solidarity fund.

Its amount is inflated by 10.9 billion, in addition to the 9 billion already planned, its access significantly widened to new sectors of activity.

To support businesses, Bruno Le Maire once again asked the lessors for a gesture, such as giving up a month's rent in exchange for a tax credit.

The envelope of the partial activity device is also inflated.

Budget under the economic crisis

The reconfinement since the end of October, decided for at least one month, will plunge activity again, after a rebound in the third quarter.

The government has therefore revised upwards the impact of the coronavirus epidemic, with an expected recession of 11%, against a 10% decline in GDP in the previous forecast for September.

State debt is set to soar to 119.8% of GDP in 2020.

►Also read: France: a 2021 financial plan placed under the sign of economic recovery

The 20 billion put on the table correspond, according to Bercy, to the cost of one month of confinement (15 billion) and to a temporary extension of certain devices after deconfinement.

The total amount of spending related to the Covid-19 crisis should thus reach nearly 86 billion euros this year.

Too little for the poorest, according to the left

The right, which voted for this 4th PLFR, denounces injustices in closed activities and is worried about loans granted by the State which cannot be repaid.

As promised for several weeks in the direction of the most modest households, exceptional bonuses are provided for beneficiaries of the RSA, unemployed at the end of their rights and those under 25, for a total of 1.1 billion euros.

But according to the left of the hemicycle, which had already expressed its disagreement with several of the crisis budgets, renewed its reservations.

This billion "

" considers the rebellious Eric Coquerel, who pleaded in vain for a motion to reject the text.

Tax GAFA, big winners from the health crisis

The Communists tried to tax the GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) who, according to them, "will

".

Socialists, like the ex-LREM of the Écologie Démocratie Solidarité collective, have proposed an “ 

” from e-commerce platforms, favored over closed shops.

The general rapporteur Laurent Saint-Martin (LREM) called for "to

 ".

►Also listen: Today the economy - Health crisis: "exceptional" benefits for "a handful of companies"

(With AFP)

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