Paris (AFP)
The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire blasted Monday "the desert of ideas" in the opposition after the proposal of Marine Le Pen to nationalize the French highways, while according to him it is enough to wait for the end of the concessions of 'ten to fifteen years from now.
The idea of nationalizing the highways "shows that in the oppositions, it is the desert of ideas", commented the Minister of the Economy Monday, questioned on the LCI channel.
Nationalizing the highways would cost the State "40 billion euros", detailed the Minister of the Economy, "while if we wait ten or fifteen years, because these are concessions, I remind Madame Le Pen. , we can recover these highways for zero euros, "said the minister, in response to a proposal from the candidate declared in the 2022 presidential election.
Sold in 2006 by the State to the private sector, the motorway concessions must expire from 2031.
The candidate Le Pen proposes to nationalize the highways, in her eyes "a real spoliation of the French", with the objective of lowering the price of tolls by 10 to 15% and delivering an additional billion and a half euros per year to the state budget.
"If there is 40 billion euros to spend today, it is for the environmental transition," replied Mr. Le Maire on Monday.
This amount "will be better used to invest for semiconductors, for hydrogen, for renewable energies, for the decarbonisation of our industry, for the fight against global warming, rather than buying back for 40 billion euros, highways, "continued the minister.
Marine Le Pen is also proposing the privatization of public broadcasting, an idea to which Bruno Le Maire said Monday he was "totally opposed".
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