Europe 1 with AFP 7:32 p.m., July 23, 2022

The government has decided to give an additional boost to the purchasing power of the French by increasing the discount on the liter of fuel from 18 to 30 cents, claiming to want to go "further".

This announcement follows TotalEnergies' commitment to discount the price at the pump.

The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire said he was in favor on Saturday of increasing the discount on the liter of fuel from 18 to 30 cents, in a compromise with the deputies Les Républicains who called for going "further".

“The discount could go from 18 to 30 euro cents in September and October, then go to 10 in November and 10 in December,” detailed the minister.

With the discount of 20 cents at the pump announced Friday by TotalEnergies, "you would have in certain service stations in France a fuel at 1.5 euros", a threshold defended by LR, he continued.

The oil giant has promised a rebate at the pump of 20 cents per liter between September and November (then 10 cents until the end of the year), in the face of the threat brandished by the deputies of a tax on "superprofits" .

Fuel at 1.50 euros?

Bruno Le Maire also proposed to LR deputies the "deferral" of the transport fuel allowance (ICT), targeted at large riders and the working classes but criticized by the right which calls for a "generalized" measure.

Bruno Le Maire also mentioned a specific measure for "small rural stations", a provision also demanded by the LRs.

Satisfied by these announcements, the right-wing group withdrew its amendments, paving the way for a passage of the discount.

"We were right to support this proposal to have fuel at 1.50 euros because we are getting there and the French will be able to thank us for having persisted," said Véronique Louwagie.

"What a surprise, we realize that the majority has reached an agreement with the Republicans", quipped the communist Nicolas Sansu.

"You are announcing something (the liter at 1.5 euros) which will be true in September, which will no longer be so in October, which will be even less so in November and no longer at all in December" due to inflation , he denounced.

"Do you know a lot of Total stations in rural areas? Extremely rare!" said Charles de Courson (LIOT group).

"You can't add the two together," he pleaded.

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The Insoumis group also criticized this agreement, arguing that fuel at 1.50 euros would only operate "in a few service stations" and "temporarily".

LFI deputies are pushing for a "fuel price freeze" which "does not cost a penny".

"It was done on the hydroalcoholic gel", argued Manuel Bompard who also proposes that the fuel tax be "floating".