The bill is steep. According to the work of the former socialist deputy René Dosière, president of the Observatory of Public Ethics, the budget of the Presidency of the Republic “went off the rails” in 2023 in an unprecedented way, mainly due to spending linked to travel.
Between 123 and 127 million euros budget
For the current year, this budget “voted for 114.4 million euros” could reach “between 123 and 127 million”, underlines this specialist in the State’s lifestyle, who deplores explanations “again partial and sometimes confusing” of the Elysée, in this document sent to AFP.
Explosion in travel spending
Noting an increase “between 12 and 15%” compared to the previous year, René Dosière underlines that “it is travel expenses which are exploding”, to 23 million instead of the 16 planned, according to official estimates provided in the framework of the 2024 finance bill. “If the resident must have the means necessary for his activity, which we readily admit varies depending on current events, it is important that he does so at the best cost”, is -he writes in this note, noting that the unit costs of travel could generally vary greatly depending on the means of transport used and the size of the delegations.
The Élysée budget “remains modest” when compared to all public spending, but “the slippages of the year 2023 are however astonishing, never seen before since there has been a presidential budget”, according to René Dosière. While “the reorganization of services put in place by Emmanuel Macron was aimed at more efficient and economical operation,” he adds.
“Inevitable increase in spending”
We “will have to wait” for the next report from the Court of Auditors “to have some explanations”, writes the president of the Observatory of Public Ethics, which brings together researchers and parliamentarians “in a transpartisan framework”.
In a document annexed to 2024 finance bill, it is specified that a set of measures to control the presidency’s expenses should make it possible to “reduce the 2023 landing level” from 127.4 million euros to 122.9 million euros. This same document mentions “the cyclical inflationary elements” which had an impact on the Elysée’s expenses, including “the increase in unavoidable expenses such as energy prices”, “the full-year effects of salary measures 2022” or even “very strong presidential activity”. The presidency has also faced “an increasing number of requests for price revisions in the context of its public contracts”, it is specified. As Politico revealsthe Elysée demanded an increase in its 2024 budget of 12 million euros.