The finances, image and restrict of democracy | EUROtoday
Lhe National Assembly being unable to vote on a finances for 2026, the federal government appealed to article 49.3 of the Constitution, regardless that it had dedicated to not resort to it… Beyond the nice ideological narratives, these errors ought to alert us to the mandatory adaptation of political methods to the significance of the State finances in modern societies. Because the Constitution doesn’t appear to have foreseen the absence of a parliamentary majority, or has solely designed unsatisfactory options for establishing a finances in such circumstances.
Thus, article 49.3 stays the last word rescue, but it surely now embodies a denial of democracy. It would due to this fact be essential to discover, for these conditions, new strategies of budgetary growth, which reconcile democracy and good administration of the Republic.
Choosing a finances is likely one of the oldest and most common “good management” practices. It far precedes trendy democracies. Because, from the rudimentary types of accountability, budgetary administration embodies taking duty in direction of others and in return desires to generate collective belief.
Far from being confused with the seek for profitability, it goals to reassure in regards to the sincerity, coherence and steadiness of monetary selections. The logic of accounts has thus imposed itself, for the reason that Middle Ages, in enterprise life in addition to in that of… spiritual organizations! And the extra the fashionable State has multiplied its interventions, the extra its finances has develop into the spine of a big a part of residents’ lives.
Trophies of partisan struggles
But within the National Assembly, the finances vote takes on a special that means. It symbolizes democratic selection by reflecting the need of the folks. This is why, in precept, the opposition doesn’t vote on the finances, even when it is aware of that its adoption is crucial. As for budgetary compromises, they’re brandished like so many trophies of partisan or ideological struggles that every get together guarantees to its voters. Basically, Parliaments don’t vote primarily to supply the nation with a vital administration device, however to defend societal selections by means of the latter.
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https://www.lemonde.fr/emploi/article/2026/01/27/le-budget-symbole-et-limite-de-la-democratie_6664257_1698637.html