ECONOMY – More than ever, he persists and signs. The president of the Court of Auditors Pierre Moscovici warns on Saturday September 7 in The Parisian on the preparation of the 2025 budget, “without doubt the most delicate budget of the Fifth Republic.” And in order to rebalance public finances, he recommends giving up one of Emmanuel Macron’s dogmas.
Asked by The Parisian On the levers that would allow French finances to be cleaned up a little, Pierre Moscovici dismisses the “miracle cures through growth”He prefers to talk about other options such as savings. “intelligent” Who “do not degrade public services”for example on apprenticeship positions.
But not only that. The first president of the Court of Auditors believes that “the tax debate must not and cannot be taboo”. Although he does not openly target a category of the population, Pierre Moscovici emphasizes that “Our fellow citizens, particularly the working and middle classes, feel that they are burdened with heavy tax burdens, while others would escape them.”He pleads, without giving further details, for a debate on increasing taxes to take place. “between the government and parliament”.
This is not the first time that Pierre Moscovici has expressed himself in this way, far from it. In March 2024, even before the political whirlwind caused by the dissolution, he already believed that the debate on taxation should “at least be calm”. Without wanting to touch the amount of the compulsory tax, he then mentioned the possibility of “exceptional, temporary withdrawals”.
Raising taxes, a red line for Le Maire and Macron
But whether it concerns the middle or wealthy classes, this position goes against the line of Bercy, which made the increase in taxes, exceptional or permanent, a red line. The government has just put in place, after many heated debates, a “exceptional contribution” energy companies, which did not bring in as much as hoped. The appointment of Michel Barnier, from the LR, should not mark a radical change in this area.
In response, the left has made the taxation of superprofits a hobby horse. The NFP parties are putting the subject back on the table as soon as possible and the examination of the 2025 budget should be no exception, especially in a National Assembly without a majority.
Michel Barnier theoretically has until October 1 to present the 2025 finance bill to the National Assembly. Before that, the text must be submitted to the High Council of Public Finances, a body that depends on the Court of Auditors. The latter needs seven days to give its opinion on the PLF and the PLFSS (the Social Security budget) and “he must be able to work seriously”warns Pierre Moscovici.
The former socialist minister therefore says he prefers that the bill be submitted to the National Assembly a little later than planned, with “one or two weeks” of time so that the proposed text is “serious and credible”. And to warn the new Prime Minister: “For the 2025 budget, we need a break, in any case a very clear inflection point.”
In addition to the French calendar, the new executive is also expected by Brussels to present its plan to reduce the deficit towards the target of 3% in 2027. The deadline is set for September 20, but a delay has been requested by France for “ensure consistency between the plan and the 2025 finance bill”the Ministry of Economy said on Saturday, September 7. The EU’s response has not yet been made public.
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