Il request “an effort for everyone”. Two days later his general policy speech in front of the National Assembly, Michel Barnier delivered his first major interview in the show “L’Événement”, on France 2, Thursday October 3. Budget 2025, immigration, situation in the Middle East… Here are the highlights of this speech by the new head of government.
On the situation in the Middle East: “Israel is in a state of self-defense.”
Lhe first minutes of the interview were devoted to the situation in the Middle East. “We have a risk of conflagration”, recognized Michel Barnier. But “I don’t think it’s too late to cut it off.”. The one who held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs for a year, from 2004 to 2005 under Jacques Chirac, believes that“Israel is in a state of self-defense in a way” after the massacres of October 7. “Israel’s security is non-negotiable, and at the same time, when there is a ceasefire, a perspective must be drawn up for the Palestinian people”he continued.
On her relations with the far right: “I do not negotiate with Madame Le Pen”
If there was any ambiguity on the subject, the Prime Minister wants to be clear. “I am not negotiating with Marine Le Pen, nor with the far-left parties who did not want to participate in the government”. “I simply reminded Marine Le Pen of what I had said when I arrived [à Matignon]that all deputies would be respected, that I owe respect to the elected representatives of the Nation”, said the Prime Minister, with reference to his reframing of his Minister of the Economy Antoine Armand, on September 24. The latter had considered that the National Rally did not belong “with the republican arch”.
On future tax increases: “300 companies will be affected“
During his general policy speech on Tuesday, the Prime Minister promised to “tell the truth to the French”. And it starts withThe delicate subject of the draft budget for 2025, which must be presented to deputies on October 10. These are ultimately something “300 companies” who will be affected by tax increases, “for a year, maybe two”, said Michel Barnier. The duration will be “acted when it is voted on”. Cet effort, “exceptional” et “temporary”concerns the largest companies “which make more than 1 billion euros in turnover business“, he recalled.
The new Prime Minister also explained that the tax measures “exceptional and temporary” targeting the richest would make it possible to harvest “maybe 2 billion” euros, through a “addition” to the exceptional contribution on high incomes, an already existing tax.
Michel Barnier refutes the term “choc fiscal”. Among the 60 billion euros that he plans to find next year, more than two thirds, or 40 billion euros, are supposed to come from spending cuts, and the last third from tax increases. However, “no, we are not entering a period of rigor, nor austerity, since public spending will continue to increase, like last year. So it is not rigor.”
To adopt the next budget, Michel Barnier does not rule out using article 49.3 of the Constitution: “I would like it to be adopted by the National Assembly. It will be a difficult, serious and responsible budget. If we cannot do it, we will use 49.3 which is a tool of the Constitution.”
On the six-month postponement of the increase in pensions: “I ask everyone to make an effort”
The former Brexit negotiator was also questioned about his decision to postpone the pension increase for six months. The Prime Minister once again highlights the need for the State to find 60 billion euros in savings. “I ask everyone to make an effort, and this effort will be fair. And I think this one is fair and proportionate, even if I know it is difficult”, he claimed.
On savings measures: “We are going to merge public services”
PArmed with the avenues imagined to reduce state spending, Michel Barnier also offers “merge public services”. “We will probably not replace all civil servants when they are not in direct contact with citizens, all civil servants who retire,” he mentioned.
On the end of life: “I am in favor of returning to work where it was interrupted”
Tuesday, before the deputies, Michel Barnier indicated that he wanted to resume “the dialogue” only “early next year” on the bill on the end of life, the examination of which was interrupted by the dissolution at the beginning of June. On France 2, the new head of government reiterated that he was “favorable to resuming work where it was interrupted”.
With the aim of “save time”it is indeed the project as it was examined and amended that Michel Barnier wishes to resume: “We have to do things seriously, with seriousness. Perhaps also by listening to the caregivers and those accompanying them.”
On social benefits: “I am going to open the work on the single social allowance”
It is “a construction site” that he wants to open, but “which will take a little time” : that of “the single social allowance”. “Work must pay more than the addition of allowances. We must also debureaucratize this mass of allowances which are distributed”, he explained.
This project is one of those presented on Wednesday by Laurent Wauquiez, president of the Republican Right deputies (ex-LR). With his troops, he advocates a “single capped social allowance” has “70% of the minimum wage”intended according to him to fight against“assistantship”.
On immigration: he assures that it is he who “draws the line”
Asked about his vision of immigration, the Prime Minister estimated that “when it is accepted, chosen, we welcome people who are in danger”It is “the right and honor of our country and of Europe to welcome them”. “There are so many athletes, musicians, entrepreneurs who lead by example and who are well integrated“he added.
On the issue of immigration, “It is me who sets the line”wanted to remind Michel Barnier. Words which are in some way a response to those of the new Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, who has occupied the media space in recent days, declaring in particular that in his eyes, “immigration is not an opportunity for France.”
On agriculture: “We are going to take a break from standards”
On the eve of his trip to a farm in Puy-de-Dôme, Michel Barnier also wanted to speak to farmers. “Affected by health crises, poor harvests”, ils “deserve to be encouraged. They are fed up. Fed up with constraints, rules and controls.”
“So we’re going to take a break from the standards”announced the man who was Minister of Agriculture for two years, from 2007 and 2009, under the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy. Farmers “work a lot in a vital way to sustain, to feed the French with healthy, balanced, diversified, traceable food”, he wanted to remind.
In his general policy declaration on Tuesday, Michel Barnier had already promised to “sustain” the farmers “when they are hit by crises, whether climatic or health, as is currently the case with bluetongue.”
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