Those who are targeted will surely recognize themselves. In an interview with JDD posted online on Saturday evening, François Bayrou, the president of MoDem, an ally of the fragile Barnier coalition, believes that “it would be strange if the ex-majority criticized the new government on the effort to be made to correct a record which is actually his.”
A dig launched in particular at Gabriel Attal, president of the Macronist group Ensemble pour la République (EPR) in the National Assembly, and at the former Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, who have repeatedly opposed any increase in taxes. “Parliament must once again become the place for discussions, negotiations and the development of compromises. Let those who do not agree propose amendments,” he added. “I am not in favor of organizing guerrilla warfare, especially when we belong to the main current from which this government was formed,” declared François Bayrou.
The 2025 draft budget, presented on October 10 to the Council of Ministers, provides for 60 billion euros in budgetary efforts, with a third of tax increases and two thirds of savings. But there is no consensus on this distribution: the High Council of Public Finances takes a different reading, where the tax effort would in reality represent 70% of the burden.
“A crisis budget”, “an emergency budget”
Postponement of the increase in retirement pensions, tax on electricity and air travel, reduction in reimbursement for medical consultations: the oppositions, led by the New Popular Front, are also worried about the repercussions on the working and middle classes. This presages heated debates in the Assembly where examination of the text begins on Wednesday in Committee.
It is “a crisis budget”, “an emergency budget”, “everyone would have liked to avoid this situation”, commented the founder of MoDem. He still warns against budget cuts which would affect local authorities “indiscriminately”, while the government’s copy provides for an effort of 5 billion euros requested from departments and municipalities.