France: the government announces a discount of 15 cents per liter of fuel

Faced with soaring fuel prices, and less than a month before the presidential election, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a "discount at the pump of 15 cents per liter" of fuel, from April 1 and during four months.

This measure, which will cost the state around two billion euros, concerns households as well as businesses and will be "valid on all fuels", said the Prime Minister in an interview with the newspaper

The prices of all fuels, and in particular diesel, have been rising continuously for more than two months, in France as in the rest of Europe and elsewhere, making it one of the important topics of the electoral campaign, with the inflation in general.

The rise was caused by oil production failing to keep pace with the strong global economic recovery, which was further accelerated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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In France, on average, a liter of diesel was worth 1.8831 euro in the first week of March, but prices today greatly exceed 2 euros in many service stations.

The discount will be made at the time of payment, at the cash desk or by credit card at the pump, and will therefore not be immediately visible on the prices displayed, detailed the head of government. 

If the State will then "reimburse" the distributors, Jean Castex called on them, just like the "oil companies", to make "an additional gesture" themselves.

"How would the French understand that they pay a full tank of diesel at 2 euros, while at the same time the oil companies are still making big profits," he wondered. 

“Resilience plan” expected next week

The announcement made the suitors at the Elysée react: insufficient for Marine Le Pen, for whom "the government is making fun of us by lowering the price by 15 cents" ten days before the first round on April 10.

The communist candidate Fabien Roussel asked to go further and to block prices at 1.70 euro per litre.

No clientelism, defended Jean Castex: "Do you see me telling them 'move on, there's nothing to see!'

because there is an election in less than thirty days? It is not my conception of my responsibility".

Matignon will re-examine the measure in the event of a fall in prices, a scenario however “unlikely” given that oil prices were already high before the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, according to a spokesman.

Jean Castex must also unveil next week "an economic and social resilience plan" in the face of the consequences of the war, which will complete this discount measure.

He also promised for professionals "measures allowing a lowering of their social and port charges".

With AFP

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