Will the financial guarantee that the State is committed to providing for the organization of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (JOP) in 2030 be a collateral “victim” of what is happening these days around of the finance bill for 2025 and a possible vote on a motion of censure on the occasion of recourse to article 49.3 of the Constitution by the government to have this budget adopted? “To date, this is not a subject”, assure-t-on with the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier.
Despite everything, Matignon recognizes that this prospect could complicate, and above all delay, the formalization of this commitment made on October 2 by Michel Barnier to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Because “We need the opinion of Parliament on a subject like this and in particular on the deficit guarantee”.
It is article 54 of the draft budget for 2025 which concerns this “guarantee for the benefit of the future Organizing Committee for the Alpes 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (Cojop)”as its title indicates.
The article aims to establish a reimbursement guarantee in the event of cancellation of the Games, and up to 500 million euros, of advances paid by the IOC in respect of revenues from television broadcasting contracts, as well as a guarantee on loans that Cojop could make, with a limit of 70 million euros.
Coverage of a possible deficit
The guarantee of coverage of a possible Cojop deficit, which constitutes the most important commitment, is not included in the finance bill. It must be formalized later, once the Cojop has been created and its budget has been specified. The deputies did not have the opportunity to examine this article relating to the State guarantee for the JOP 2030: as they rejected the first part of the finance bill (that of revenue), they did not were unable to debate the second part (that of expenditure), where these provisions appear.
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At Matignon, it is explained that if the draft budget for 2025 were not to be adopted, “another vector” could be used for “solidify” the commitment made by the government to the IOC. In Michel Barnier’s entourage, we also want to believe that “the IOC would be understanding about the timetable, if necessary”.
The International Olympic Committee had already shown patience this summer. When he awarded the organization of the 2030 Olympics to France at the end of July, he agreed to only receive the government’s written commitment on the financial guarantee later. At the head of a resigned government managing current affairs, the prime minister then in place, Gabriel Attal, could no longer issue the letter of guarantee. “We are not there”we argue to the Prime Minister, where we assure: “Our file, our profile are solid.”
