France: purchasing power, under debate in the Assembly, the test of the field
A saleswoman on the Nice market returns a ten euro note, June 7, 2022. © ERIC GAILLARD / REUTERS
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
War in Ukraine and rising energy prices: in the midst of inflation, the National Assembly is examining the bill on purchasing power from this Monday, July 18.
The government calls on the opposition to make compromises, but it is not yet won, while on the ground, the B system is developing.
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A consensual text and measures expected by the French: the presidential camp hoped for a start of agreement in the hemicycle on purchasing power.
But the battle promises to be tough.
The National Rally, the Republicans and the Nupes have planned an avalanche of amendments to try to impose some of their ideas.
The price of fuel capped at 1.5 euros per liter for LRs, a reduction in VAT for the RN, a minimum wage of 1,500 euros for the union of the left… All the opposition parties are determined not to give no gift to the Head of State.
Anyway, the Macron version compromise, the deputy RN Laurent Jacobelli does not believe in it, he explains at the microphone of our journalist
Julien Chavanne
: "
Either we rally to his opinion, and there, he is ready to listen, either we want to amend our opinion or we want to propose our measure and there, it closes.
I believe that Emmanuel Macron will definitely never change.
»
To what extent will the government make concessions to the opposition to pass its text?
Elisabeth Borne and her “new method” will be put to the test.
Between disappointment and system B
The purchasing power at half mast is what had pushed the Yellow Vests to take the roundabouts and demonstrate in Paris, almost four years ago.
This is the case of Pascal, delivery driver in the Rhône-Alpes region, who expects nothing from the measures presented by the government on Monday July 18, when the situation has deteriorated further.
Here is what he explains to
Éric Chaurin
, our journalist, during the latest rally organized by the Yellow Vests on July 14 in Paris.
We don't want these measures for the good and unique reason that what we simply want is for them to start giving us decent wages, and after that, we can talk about purchasing power.
Let them make efforts on that side, no problem.
But there it is not to make efforts, it is to make fun of the mouth of the people.
Pascal (Yellow Vest) reacts to the bill on purchasing power under debate in the Assembly
On the shelves, far from the debates of the Assembly, looking for the first prizes and promotions has become a reflex, explains Tom Malki, journalist at RFI.
However, on supermarket displays, baskets filled with fruits and vegetables like no other are flourishing, some call
them “ugly products
”.
“
We have installed non-standard products, a Camembert which is smaller, so we sell it for less.
A cucumber supposed to be straight, which is sold twisted
, ”explains Bertrand Swiderski, director of social and environmental responsibility in a large retail chain.
Constance, a regular, welcomes the initiative: “
We can clearly see that something happened with overconsumption, for a generation.
We may need to go back and stop food waste, which is still quite blatant here: that is to say, if it's not in the nail, it goes to the trash can.
»
In addition to the ecological interest of the thing, even if the sometimes close expiry dates can put off, purchasing power is clearly a success factor, confirms Bertrand Swiderski.
“
That's good, because selling products at 30 to 50% is also good for purchasing power.
Avoiding waste to increase supply and therefore lower prices would therefore be an interesting solution to fight against current inflation.
►
To read also: France: towards a sharp drop in purchasing power, according to the OFCE
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French politics
Economy
Emmanuel Macron
Elisabeth Borne
yellow vests