“At the request of the Prime Minister, I will call on the political parties represented in the National Assembly and the Senate, as well as the parliamentary groups, to come and dialogue at the ministry with Amélie de Montchalin, the Minister of Public Accounts, and myself », assures the minister, in an interview with the Tribune Dimanche.
“There may be discussions about tax increases, which will have to be very limited”
“I will contact them (…) starting tomorrow morning. By sharing information on the reality of the situation, I will do everything possible to ensure that a budget is adopted,” assures Éric Lombard, until this week director general of the CDC (Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations), and, this title, familiar from dialogue with elected officials of all sides.
For him, “finding compromises is essential”.
Tax increases: “there may be discussions”
Minister Lombard also confirmed that he wanted to “adjust”, to “define a good budget”, the finance bill prepared by the Barnier government, and left pending during the parliamentary shuttle by the censorship of December 4.
He believes “that there may be discussions on tax increases, which will have to be very limited. But also on additional savings.” The deficit would be included in the text at “a little above 5%” of GDP, “so as to protect growth”.
Before concessions to the opposition which did not save him from censure, Michel Barnier stated the intention of reducing the public deficit to 5% of GDP next year.
French people who do not pay income tax today will not pay any tomorrow
Éric Lombard also dismisses concerns about a possible increase in the number of people subject to income tax next year, because the “special law” which will come into force on January 1 to ensure the strict functioning of the State does not allow for the traditional indexation of the scale of this tax to inflation.
“We will have a budget which will include an indexation of the scale. The French who do not pay income tax today will not pay any tomorrow,” assures Éric Lombard.
