Despite soaring petrol prices during the summer, the government has no plans to renew the fuel allowance granted to certain French households at the start of the year. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne confirmed this during an interview with France Bleu.
This is an announcement that will not please the millions of French motorists. Invited to answer questions from our colleagues from France Bleu this Wednesday noon, Elisabeth Borne refuted the idea of a possible return of “fuel vouchers” to help some households fight against rising prices at service stations. Awarded according to several criteria to many French people in 2023, provided they apply for it before March 31, this compensation of 100 euros had been precious for the households most weakened by the general inflation which has affected the country for two years now. years. The increase in prices at the pump observed over the past two months – by 17 cents on diesel and 10 cents on petrol between the end of June and the end of August – had raised hopes among some motorists of benefiting from a new boost thumbs up from the government.
Nothing will happen. “We have not planned to put fuel vouchers back in place, decided Elisabeth Borne. This represented 8 billion euros in expenditure and we must also be able to invest to support this ecological transition and get out of dependence on fossil fuels.” If the Prime Minister cannot deny the sudden surge in prices at the pump – “There has indeed been an increase in fuel prices compared to the beginning of July” -, the head of government wanted to be reassuring to the time when the average price of a liter of Unleaded 95 peaks at 1.91 euro and that of diesel at 1.83 euro. “We see them stabilizing, here too I would like to reassure those who may fear seeing a surge in prices again.”
To give motorists a boost, Elisabeth Borne is counting in particular on the promise of TotalEnergies to freeze the price per liter below 2 euros until the end of the year and on the continuation of operations “at cost price” in place by large retailers (Leclerc, Carrefour, Casino, Intermarché, etc.). “I invite everyone, employers, industrialists, distributors too, to help our compatriots get through these times of higher inflation while waiting for us to return to more usual levels”, she slipped by way of of conclusion. At a time when oil-exporting countries, first and foremost Saudi Arabia, are doing everything to raise oil prices (by reducing their production), there is nothing to say that the return to “usual prices” will be soon.