The government had promised additional measures to restore public accounts. This Sunday, October 27, the government announces how it intends to improve the budget by 5.2 billion euros. Reduction in spending and new revenue will be proposed through amendments in the second part of the 2025 Finance Bill, specify the offices of the Ministers of the Budget and the Civil Service.
Civil servants will be called upon. By fighting against absenteeism which “has increased sharply, from 43 million days of absence in 2014 to 77 million in 2022”. The cost “these repeated absences have become unbearable” according to the civil service office. Or 15 billion euros for public finances in 2022, according to Bercy.
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Aligning the public with the private
This is why an amendment provides for a saving of 1.25 billion euros. The first measure to reduce state spending involves increasing the waiting period from one to three days in the civil service. Clearly, in the event of work stoppage, during the first 3 days no daily allowance would be paid to the agents.
“It’s a form of alignment with the private sector,” agrees the entourage of the Minister of the Civil Service. On average, the number of employee absences was 11.7 days in the private sector compared to 14.5 days in the public sector.
The government also plans to limit reimbursement for stoppages of 3 days to 3 months “90% instead of 100%” in the first three months, also as in the private sector. To try to pass these measures, which must still be discussed with the unions, “projects” to address the causes of absenteeism must be proposed: debureaucratization, strengthening of agent protection, etc. In the coming days, details will be provided. made by the government regarding the number of civil service personnel.
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A blow to most ministries
Furthermore, the government plans to cancel the precautionary reserves of most ministries “except for the Ministries of Justice, Higher Education and Research, the Armed Forces and the Interior”, specifies the office of the Minister of the Budget. Others will have to make serious budgetary choices. Targeted economy: 2.6 billion euros.
Another billion in savings is aimed in particular at the “Public development aid” mission to the tune of 600 million euros. The Ministry of Culture will tighten its belt by 55 million euros. “In particular thanks to an effort to control public broadcasting expenditure, in particular France Télévisions, and to a reform of the Culture Pass”, specifies Bercy. The envelope dedicated to supporting electric cars is reduced by 345 million euros. “This amount will be supplemented by aid for the energy saving certificate (EEC)”delays Bercy.
Finally, the State found revenue by draining the excess cash of public operators to the tune of 300 million euros. In particular, the Water Agencies, the National Institute of Industrial Ownership (Inpi) and the Transport Infrastructure Financing Agency (Afit) are concerned.
