Europe 1 with AFP 5:54 p.m., July 18, 2022

This Monday, the debates on the bill devoted to purchasing power began in the Assembly.

"We want compromise" but "not with billions", underlined the Minister of the Economy who, after the failure of the health bill last week, "wishes to move forward in the most constructive way possible" with the opposition.

"We want compromise" but "not with billions", underlined the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire this Monday in the Assembly, at the opening of the debates on the bill devoted to purchasing power.

In the absence of an absolute majority for the macronists, "I hope that we can move forward in the most constructive way possible", "any proposal can be improved and the majority will be open to all constructive proposals. Simply, we will not enter not in a logic of one-upmanship", insisted the minister.

Emergency measures to protect purchasing power

At the heart of this bill of emergency measures for the protection of purchasing power are the early revaluation of 4% of retirement pensions and social benefits, the 3.5% increase in the salary of public officials, a means-tested food check of 100 euros, to which will be added 50 euros per child.

There is also the extension of the tariff shield on energy, the abolition of the audiovisual fee or the tripling of the "Macron bonus" (tax-free and exempt from social security contributions).

"We want compromise but compromise cannot be bought with billions, compromise cannot be financed on the backs of the taxpayer, compromise cannot be built to the detriment of our public finances, otherwise it would be the way of ease", warned the tenant of Bercy.

Bruno Le Maire has thus set a "framework" for future negotiations: "nothing that can damage our public finances, nothing that can slow down the climate transition, everything for work".

The government wants to extend the fuel discount until October 1

The government is particularly hostile to the freezing of the price of gasoline at 1.50 euros as proposed by the LRs, or to the reductions in VAT supported by the RN.

Bruno Le Maire thus opposed the "irreversible reduction in taxes on fossil fuels that is as damaging for public finances as it is for the climate".

The government favors the extension of the fuel discount of 18 cents until October 1 and then the establishment of a "worker fuel allowance".

With only a relative majority, the macronists suffered a setback in the Assembly on the health bill a little less than a week ago.

They hope this time to avoid such a disappointment.