Michel Barnier was the guest on the 8 p.m. news TF1 this Tuesday, November 26, 2024. The Prime Minister spoke in a tense context before decisive votes on the 2025 budget in the National Assembly which could lead to censure of his government. Here's what to remember from his interview.
“The moment is very serious, it is the vote on the Nation’s budget that is in question”
“I am very happy to speak to the French,” assured Michel Barnier in the preamble. “The moment is very serious, it is the vote on the Nation's budget which is in question”, he pointed out. But if the government is censored, not only “there will be no budget” more “there will be serious turbulence in the financial markets”, warned the Prime Minister. If the budget was not adopted, it would be “wasted time. And I find that there is no time to lose”, he pointed out.
Examination of the text in the Senate began this Monday, November 25. In the event of disagreement between the Senate and the Assembly on the text, it will be examined by a joint committee, where seven deputies and seven senators will have to find a compromise. If found, it would then be submitted to both chambers for adoption. But it is very unlikely that a budgetary text will find a majority in the National Assembly. This is when the government could draw out a 49.3, risking being targeted by a motion of censure.
On a possible recourse to 49.3, Michel Barnier specified that it would be ” probably “ used by his government. A term that he had already used in the interview he gave to West France November 14th.
Read also: 49.3, emergency law, ordinances… How can the government pass the budget?
Threat of motion of censure: Michel Barnier is not about to resign
“It’s a moment with a lot of difficulties but it’s not a surprise to me,” underlines the Prime Minister. “I have known since September 5 that he could see it as censorship,” he pointed out.
Faced with all these difficulties, is the Prime Minister thinking of resigning? “Why do you want me to resign?” » retorted Michel Barnier for whom the interest of the country “exceeds very far [sa] own condition”. Before adding: “There is so much reason to be excited about our country and there is so much reason to be outraged. As long as I have the same capacity for enthusiasm and indignation that I had fifty years ago, I will be ready to serve. »
Agriculture, state lifestyle, proportional… The Prime Minister's projects
The Prime Minister also insisted on the projects he intends to carry out. In terms of agriculture, “I am in the process of keeping all the commitments that have been made, of doing what farmers have been asking for months and years”, he pointed out.
Michel Barnier also spoke of the measures he would take to reduce the state deficit. In addition to the efforts that will be required of local authorities and large businesses, it “thinks we can make an effort on the state’s lifestyle”, which will be requested in particular from “former ministers”.
Regarding the implementation of proportional representation in elections, a long-standing request from the National Rally in particular, the Prime Minister announced work which would be carried out by political scientist Pascal Perrineau. On this question, “we will be ready to debate it in the spring.”
