In order to promote the adoption of a budget, the new Minister of Economy and Finance Eric Lombard wants to invite all the political parties represented in Parliament to come and talk to Bercy in the days to come.
A dialogue open to all parties
Recently appointed Minister of Economy and Finance, Eric Lombard announced its intention to invite all political parties represented in Parliament to discussions in Bercy. This initiative aims to foster consensus for the adoption of the budgetcurrently in an impasse after the previous project was censored in December. Éric Lombard is committed to an inclusive dialogue, because, according to him, “all elected officials are legitimate”. Unlike his predecessor, he does not intend to exclude any party, including the National Rally, to avoid new controversies. Discussions will continue until January 14, the date of Prime Minister François Bayrou's general policy speech, and may continue thereafter, reports BFMTV.
The results of these discussions will be transmitted to the Prime Minister to feed into government proposals. An approach that Lombard, former general director of Caisse des Dépôts, considers essential for building compromises.
An adjusted and pragmatic budget
The minister plans to amend the finance bill initially prepared by the Barnier government. If tax increases are considered, they will have to remain “very limited,” alongside additional savings. Eric Lombard insists on the importance of maintaining a controlled public deficit, around 5% of GDP, in order to protect growth while meeting European requirements. In regarding income tax, he wanted to reassure his compatriots. “The French who do not pay income taxes today will not pay any tomorrow.”he said. It also guarantees indexation of the scale to inflation, thus avoiding an involuntary increase in the tax burden.
Reforms under constraint
On pension reform, the tenant of Bercy sets a condition: any modification must respect the budgetary constraint linked to the old-age insurance deficit. “There is something to grind within this constraint,” he said, calling for innovative solutions. Éric Lombard also wants to be attentive to the financial markets, hoping that the adoption of a credible budget will allay their concerns. Furthermore, he judged “very serious” the threat of new customs barriers mentioned by Donald Trump. The minister calls for a firm and coordinated response at European level.
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