POLICY – “I love you, but I’m leaving”from Bercy but not only. The resigning minister Bruno Le Maire announced this Thursday, September 12, that he was going to step away from political life, effectively ruling out any reappointment within the future government of Michel Barnier.
At the National Assembly, Bruno Le Maire, the RN and LFI settle their scores in the middle of the finance committee
It is by quoting the song I fly Michel Sardou, the Bercy tenant, announced his departure, after more than seven years at the head of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He felt that it was time for him “to breathe an air different from (that of) politics”. “I will therefore return to my first vocation: teaching”said the former literature professor during a farewell speech in the courtyard of the ministry, saying “happy to return to classes, this time on economic and geopolitical subjects”.
“I will naturally continue to live in France”he said, while rumors had said he was leaving for Switzerland. In front of civil servants, advisers, parliamentarians and other guests including Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, Bruno Le Maire took stock of his years at the head of the French economy.
Le Maire’s warnings to his successor
“I wish my successor(s) the best in the mission that will be entrusted to them.”assured Bruno Le Maire, who nevertheless gave some advice, calling for not “go back” compared to the economic line he defended.
“France must not go back on restoring its public accounts. It must continue to set itself the objective of returning to below 3% (public) deficit by 2027.” compared to GDP, he also argued. “After the crises, we took a firm line on public accounts. This does not win us many friends. However, wisdom recommends holding this line, reducing the scale of expenditure, spreading out some, postponing others.”he continued, in a speech greeted with loud applause.
“France must not go back on taxes either”reduced by 55 billion euros for businesses and households since the election of Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 presidential election, he also declared.
These remarks irritated the opposition, which did not fail to point out that France was subject to European proceedings during Le Maire’s years at Bercy. “A minister whose stated objective was to reduce debt and deficits, and who has completely failed on these points, cannot afford to make such remarks. It is typically this kind of distortion of reality that damages democracy.” believes Place Publique MEP Aurore Lalucq. “The gap between its image of seriousness and its budgetary record is striking”writes RN MP Matthias Renault.
By leaving, Bruno Le Maire leaves to his successor and the new head of government the heavy task of presenting the 2025 budget. Paths have been prepared by the resigning government of Gabriel Attal and the ceiling letters sent. But while Michel Barnier’s government has still not been formed, the possibility of a postponement of the presentation of the budget, supposed to arrive on October 1st on the desk of the Assembly, has not been ruled out.
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