François Bayrou calls on the government to discuss a targeted tax increase

Europe 1 with AFP 9:30 a.m., March 25, 2024

François Bayrou on Monday called on the government and parliamentarians to discuss a targeted increase in taxes, as the MoDem has been demanding for several years, which Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire categorically refuses. "A discussion can be opened. The Minister of Economy and Finance is preparing next year's budget (...) It is good that the government and parliamentarians sit down around the table and which they explore freely", he declared, questioned about the probable announcement on Tuesday by INSEE of a public deficit in 2023 significantly higher than the 4.9% (of GDP) initially planned.

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Opposed to a new unemployment insurance reform

Asked about the remarks of the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet, who mentioned the possibility of taxing companies making “super profits” or paying “super dividends”, François Bayrou recalled that the Modem proposed to the Assembly national "we have been exploring this path for several budgetary years". “If there are rebalancing measures, they must go towards those who have the most means, including the most means depending on the crisis, without damaging the image of France which allows attract investors", he argued, recognizing that this was "squaring the circle".

François Bayrou suggested that he was opposed to a new reform of unemployment insurance, aimed at reducing the duration of compensation, as envisaged by the government. “I do not believe that the main culprits of unemployment are the unemployed, especially since a certain number of them have lost work skills over time. We therefore need to reform them,” he judged.