The Prime Minister closed the Congress of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF) this Thursday, November 21, by giving a speech. He tried to appease the anger of local elected officials, opposed to the savings that the government wants to impose on them within the framework of the finance bill. A perilous exercise and a not entirely successful appeasement operation for the head of government.
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Some mayors were waiting for it “ on a firm footing “. In the context of budgetary savings and strong tensions with local elected officials, the visit of Michel Barnier was more of a seduction operation than a courtesy visit. The Prime Minister has reminded this on several occasions, he does not know how long he will remain at Matignon and the finance bill was produced in an unprecedented framework:
“ Never in 65 years has a Prime Minister had barely 15 days to prepare the budget. I’m just telling the truth. This budget is not perfect. It sometimes contains injustices, points that need to be reviewed. »
If we are serious, if we don’t show off, if we tell the truth, if we are methodical […] I attach as much, if not more, importance to the tracking effect as to the announcement effects. And so I will be extremely methodical. Another thing I want to say, that I would like to try during this time, to reverse this feeling with you, not without you, with you, of being under normative and financial supervision.
Michel Barnier facing the mayors of France gathered at a conference in Paris
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Michel Barnier « walk on eggshells », Estimates the president of the AMF
If he tried to reassure the city councilors, he did not go back on the savings he asked them to make. For the president of the AMF of France David Lisnard, the account is not really there.
“ What happens next will depend on what comes out of the budget discussion in the Senate. I understand that the Prime Minister did not want to hinder the discussion in the Senate. And I think he walks on eggshells “, he believes.
But Michel Barnier has undertaken to come and take stock of the proposed measures in 2025 at the next AMF Congress if he is still Prime Minister by then.
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