Bruno Le Maire says he desires to “reach out” to the opposition; the RN and LFI threaten the federal government with a movement of censure | EUROtoday

It was a dialogue that promised to be heated from the outset, after the announcement on the finish of March of a public deficit of 5.5% of GDP in 2023, removed from the 4.9% deliberate, and the criticism towards the federal government that this announcement generated. During the general public finance orientation debate held on the National Assembly on Monday April 29, the Minister of the Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, nonetheless assured that he needed “reach out to all opposition parliamentarians who wish to restore public finances”.

“Come and participate in this restoration of our public finances and let us put aside once and for all the political quarrels, which are not in the interest of France”, he mentioned to the opposition, who’ve criticized the administration of the latter by Emmanuel Macron and Mr. Le Maire for seven years. In entrance of round fifty deputies, the minister declared on the opening of the talk that he hoped that it will permit “to confront visions rather than postures”.

The National Rally (RN) and La France insoumise (LFI) teams, for his or her half, requested {that a} draft amending finance legislation be submitted to Parliament by ” thirty days “ for some, from right here to ” a month “ for the others, failing which they may desk a movement of censure to attempt to carry down the federal government. While the Minister of the Economy had publicly supported the thought of ​​a amending finance invoice earlier than the summer time, Emmanuel Macron opposed this feature.

For the minister, oppositions have a “short memory”

I wouldn’t have “never seen so many parliamentarians concerned about the public debt and the balance of our finances, worried about the risk of downgrading our rating by the rating agencies and ultimately a little disappointed that the Fitch and Moody's agencies have decided to maintain the rating from France “ Friday evening, launched Bruno Le Maire during the debate in the hemicycle. “No, the financing of our debt is not threatened, no the France of 2024 is not the Greece of 2010, let’s keep our sense of moderation and our composure”added the minister.

He said to himself “surprised by this cohort of parliamentarians who always demanded more money in the past and always demand more savings now”, “in a conversion as sudden as it is doubtful”. The minister notably brandished a large red initialer, announcing that ten others were placed on the government benches, containing a total of “2,500 letters, from all parties, demanding more public spending in all areas and almost accusing me of stinginess”.

Bruno Le Maire also denounced those who “short memory”and forgot “difficult times” during the Covid-19 pandemic or the inflationary crisis, during which the State spent enormously to support the economy. Now, he continued, “we must be the majority that will bring the public deficit back below 3% of GDP in 2027”. According to him, the stability program which underlies this trajectory “must lead us to bring together all those who, beyond controversies, sincerely want to restore the nation’s public finances”.

“The ball is in the LR court” in the event of a motion of censure

The oppositions, nonetheless, remained of their positions, making an attempt to play the steadiness of energy towards a presidential camp with out an absolute majority within the Assembly. “The National Rally group demands that a draft amending finance law be submitted to Parliament within thirty days, and that the budgetary discussion comes to an end, without 49.3. (…) If at the end of these thirty days the government continues to ignore Parliament, the RN group will then table a motion of censure.notably warned the far-right MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy.

This motion of censure would have little chance of being voted for by all the opposition groups, as recognized by Mr. Tanguy, who castigated the “deleterious sectarianism” of different teams. Stressing {that a} movement tabled by the LIOT group (independents) or Les Républicains could be “extra in a position to go and [de] lastly overthrow the federal government »He referred to as ” particularly “ the latter to “finally take responsibility”. “If the LR group files a motion of censure, the RN group will support it”he said.

Questioned after the debate, the president of the finance committee, Eric Coquerel (LFI), also told the press that “if in one month there is no amending finance bill, then we will table a motion of censure”. The LFI group reiterated that it was open to voting on an LR motion. “The ball is in the LR court. Are they an opposition party in the Assembly or not? »asked the “rebellious” MP Marianne Maximi.

For now, Gabriel Attal has only faced one motion of censure, largely rejected, in February. Her predecessor Elisabeth Borne managed to overcome thirty-one.