the PS group in the Senate announces that it will vote against the project, judging that “the distribution of efforts does not go in the direction” that it wishes

The socialist group in the Senate will vote against the proposed state budget for 2025 on Thursday, its president, Patrick Kanner, announced Tuesday January 21 to Agence France-Presse (AFP). “In terms of budget cuts, it always goes too fast, it always goes too hard. The distribution of efforts is not going in the direction we want”explained the senator from the North, two days before the solemn vote of the Upper House on the finance bill.

“If we voted for the budget, we would be in the majority. If we abstained, it would almost be a form of partnership with the government. The question that arises is that of censorship”added Mr. Kanner, while the Prime Minister, François Bayrou, has been trying for several days to extract from the Socialists a commitment not to censor him.

Dominated by an alliance between the right and the centrists which supports the government, the Senate should nevertheless adopt the draft budget without difficulty on Thursday afternoon. The examination of this text, begun under the Barnier government and suspended by the censorship, has resumed since last week at the Palais du Luxembourg, with numerous planing moves proposed by the government, which the socialists opposed.

“Avoid the politics of the worst”

Once adopted by the Senate, the text will be submitted, on January 30, to a joint committee (CMP) – seven senators and seven deputies responsible for arriving at a compromise version.

“The CMP will be the justice of the peace. Between now and January 30, there is the possibility of moving the lines. The budget will not be good, we know that, but we want it to be as bad as possible”insisted Patrick Kanner, who is putting pressure on the government by promising that socialist parliamentarians “will continue to fight” pour “find ways of compromise and avoid the politics of the worst”.

The CMP will, moreover, be an opportunity for the government to integrate various measures conceded to the Socialist Party in recent days, such as renouncing the elimination of 4,000 teaching positions. If the CMP is conclusive, the common text will be submitted to both chambers for a final vote, with the possible use of 49.3 by François Bayrou if he fears a rejection of the budget by the National Assembly. A motion of censure should then follow immediately.

After the PS's choice not to vote on the motion of censure against the government last week, the Minister of the Economy, Eric Lombard, said ” think “ that there was “an agreement” so that Olivier Faure's party does not censor the budget. What the socialists refuted. “There is still a long way to go until the budget, censorship is still on the table”had warned the leader of the PS deputies, Boris Vallaud.