The day after the presentation of the finance bill to the Council of Ministers, it was a weekly special budget Parliament, which received on Public Senate and LCP-AN the general rapporteur of the budget of the High Assembly, Senator LR de Meurthe -et-Moselle, Jean-François Husson, and the PS deputy for Calvados, Arthur Delaporte.
“A project of rupture and a moment of truth”
Senator LR defended a “project of rupture and a moment of truth”. Until now in opposition, the LR are now part of the majority supporting Michel Barnier. The rapporteur of the Finance Committee recalls that “between the end of December 2023 and the beginning of September, the accounts deteriorated by an additional deficit of 50 billion euros”, “it is time to pull ourselves together, to undertake a recovery” .
“The accounts are completely in the red, because there have been 7 years of poor public management. 60 billion euros in tax gifts to large companies, the richest people, which are not offset by new revenue. It is ultimately the State which has impoverished itself”, points out the socialist Arthur Delaporte, who denounces “an immeasurable effort”.
A deterioration of the accounts, on which Jean-François Husson had carried out in-depth work by going to check the administration documents on site in Bercy. Today, it is the PS deputy Philippe Brun who is requesting a commission of inquiry from the Assembly on the subject. “The problem is that the President of the Republic, although he must have potentially known that there was this, still carried out the dissolution, and caused delays. It’s a political mistake,” denounces Arthur Delaporte.
“We must straighten out the country’s accounts, and there must be neither dogma nor red lines”, for Jean-François Husson
If the PS deputy recognizes that tax increases will target the richest and large companies, “these are small-scale revenues. It is a budget which will weigh on the poorest”, according to Arthur Delaporte and “very marginally” on the richest. And he insists: “It’s a semblance of fiscal justice, but in reality, it’s the poorest who will suffer.”
For Jean-François Husson, “there is first a prerequisite: we must straighten out the country’s accounts and there must be no dogma or red lines.” “The effort must be collective and shared”, “it must be done in due proportion to its contributory capacities”. The LRs will therefore no longer oppose, in principle, tax increases. A position which surprises Arthur Delaporte, who points to “a change of heart in the Senate”, where the LR has until now refused any increase in levies.
Removal of 4,000 teaching positions: “We are going to degrade the education system”, according to Arthur Delaporte
One of the highlights of the budget is the 4,000 teaching positions cut next year. “In my department, we had to close 80 classes this year. This has real consequences, the number of students per class has increased,” notes the PS deputy, pointing to “large or small nursery sections, with 28 students per class.” “We are going to degrade the education system.”
“We must agree to reorganize, to adapt to today’s needs,” replies Jean-François Husson, who highlights the creation of 2,000 AESH positions (supporters of students with disabilities), planned in the 2025 budget.
“In any case, we will have to make efforts”, thinks Jean-François Husson
Another sensitive subject: the 5 billion requested from local authorities. The socialist fears consequences on the social action of communities. Even there, Jean-François Husson defends the government. “There are many ways to make an effort. Some (communities) have good results, others less good, we must target well,” said Senator LR, who “identified the departments which are very uncomfortable, very tense departments, we must be very attentive. And with the others, we have to look at what is possible.” And to conclude: “In any case, we will have to make an effort”.
“In the end, it is health that is toast, it is pensions that are toast, ecological policies that are toast because we have chosen to give gifts to the richest, with the ISF, the flat tax,” he says. demord by Arthur Delaporte. “I love it, Mr. I know everything, I’m always right…” squeaks Jean-François Husson. An exchange which bodes well for lively debates.
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