While the regulated electricity price has jumped by more than 30% since 2021 and that’an increase of 11.7% in the gas bill will be applicable on July 1the three main blocs competing for the legislative elections – which make purchasing power a central theme of the campaign – compete in particular with proposals and commitments, in terms of reducing energy priceswhile criticizing the cost or ineffectiveness of the measures promised by their competitors.
National rally: reduction in VAT on energy
There reduction in VAT to 5.5% on electricity, gas and fuelspresent in the program supported by Jordan Bardella for the European elections, now appears in his party’s profession of faith with a view to the legislative elections. Hammering that “priority“would be”restore purchasing power” to the French, the president of the National Rally indicated that these reductions would occur in the first weeks of his action if he became Prime Minister.
“Traveling and heating have today become a luxury product“, he lamented on the set of BfmTV-Rmc on June 14. Concerning the reduction in VAT on energy prices, Jordan Bardella indicated that he “will do[t] vote for this measure by Parliament as part of a amending finance bill“.
The MEP also expressed his intention to “negotiate an exemption on the European electricity market, to escape from the price setting rules, and immediately allow a French electricity price to be found again“. Evoking his ambition “of strategic autonomy“, particularly on the energy level, he highlights”the major industrial and strategic asset“what constitutes the French nuclear fleetsaying his will that the country “can benefit from its comparative advantage“.
The presidential coalition commits to lowering the electricity bill in 2025
Defending the government’s energy record, the Minister of Economy and Finance assured, Tuesday June 11, that his policy would not take long to bear fruit. “The electricity bill of each French person will drop by 10 to 15% in February 2025“, assured Bruno Le Maire on the set of BfmTV, evoking a “commitment“ on his part. He notably indicated that this reduction would be made possible by the relaunch of nuclear power and investment in renewable energies. In order to strengthen France’s energy independence and reduce the share of fossil fuels, the government wishes – as stated the tenant of Bercy during a Senate hearing on January 16 – “double the share of electricity in the energy mix from 27 to 55% by 2050“.
Our majority is committed to nuclear power, energy independence, and the development of renewables. Ultimately, bills will be much cheaper for the French. Bruno Le Maire
Bruno Le Maire has, moreover, strongly questioned the credibility and effectiveness of the RN’s proposals : “They don’t believe in renewable energies; they will therefore leave the French in the hands of gas or oil producers,” he denounced, predicting, in the event of victory of the National Rally, “a price surge in the years to come.”
And the minister to curb the reduction in VAT on energy products, promised by Jordan Bardellaquantifying this measurement at nearly 17 billion in total, against 12 billion advanced by the RN. In a video published on X, Bruno Le Maire mentions, taking into account the reduction in VAT on food products, “24 billion euros for nothing, so that it goes into the pocket of the distributor or the industrialist“.
New Popular Front: price blocking and energy diversification
The left coalition is committed in its program to “block the prices of basic necessities in food, energy and fuels by decree“. It also counts, as part of a “great law for purchasing power“, reduce energy bills by abolishing what she calls “the Macron tax of 10% on energy bills“, And “cancel the scheduled increase in gas prices on July 1“. In support of the most modest households, left-wing groups also offer, “free first KwH“, and the ban on “electricity, heat and gas cuts“.
On the set of BFMTV this Monday, June 17, the outgoing president of the finance committee, Eric Coquerel (La France insoumise)indicated that his political family was in favor of reducing VAT on energy provided that prices are blockedotherwise there is a risk that this reduction will mainly benefit distributors and manufacturers, which would amount to making “pay for inflation“to employees. He also criticized the government’s decision to reinstate, with the end of the energy shield, the domestic final consumption tax on electricity (TIFCE).
The 10% increase must be canceled. And the way of considering VAT reductions is only bearable if we block the prices, because without blocking the prices it is the margins of the distributors who benefit. Eric Coquerel (LFI)
To diversify energies and strive for a form of sovereignty consistent with its objectives of “ecological planning“, THE New Popular Front is committed to working for “strengthen the structuring of French and European renewable energy production sectors, from manufacturing to production“. The alliance also wishes “make France the European leader in marine energies with offshore wind power and the development of tidal energy.”.
The left’s program, on the other hand, ignores nuclear powera subject on which the formations of the New Popular Front are not no agreement between them. In their program, this question is only addressed through the desire to “return to the merger between the Nuclear Safety Agency (ASN) and the Nuclear Safety Research Institute (IRSN)“.
Beyond the question of energy, Bruno Le Maire castigated the entire economic program carried by the Socialist Party, Rebellious France, The ecologists and the Communist Partywhich he described as “total delirium“. Friday June 14, on FranceInfo, the Minister of Economy and Finance affirmed that this program was “L’decommissioning insurance” And “L’assurance of leaving the European Unionsince the program says that this left alliance will refuse the austerity constraint of the stability pact“.
