PURCHASING POWER LAW. How will Emmanuel Macron manage the purchasing power bill? With the loss of the absolute majority in the Assembly, it is difficult for the Head of State to bring his battery of measures into force. Prime Macron, increase in pensions, RSA … We tell you everything.
[Mis à jour le 21 juin 2022 à 09h18] Increase in pensions, reform of the RSA, social minima, food check… There are many projects for Emmanuel Macron, and the purchasing power bill was an opportunity to give a boost to the purchasing power of the French . Problem, meanwhile, the Head of State and his party Together have lost the absolute majority in the National Assembly. A huge blow for him, and for all of his proposals which were to come into force by the summer. The project seems for the moment, rather compromised or at least, more than difficult to set up in the state. In a very fragmented political environment, the first meeting of the National Council for Refoundation (CNR) bringing together the social partners, parliamentary groups and other associations of local elected officials was to be held this Wednesday, June 22. It is already cancelled! A decision that is ultimately unsurprising after the result of the legislative elections on Sunday, June 19. Still, Emmanuel Macron will find himself faced with a dilemma: engage in discussion with the Republicans and consider an alliance with a view to achieving an absolute majority, or else, dissolve the National Assembly.
It is in this heavy and weighty context that the purchasing power bill is supposed to be announced on July 6 with certain key measures, extremely expected for some, and widely criticized for others. The tripling of the Macron bonus or the 4% increase in pensions, for example. The thaw in the officials’ index point is also likely to crystallize attention, as the point’s value has not budged an iota for 5 years. The date of July 6 seems however quite complicated to keep, given the current political context, and the recent fragility of the majority after the second round of the legislative elections. Will Emmanuel Macron be able to govern despite the absence of an absolute majority? What measures will come into effect? What alliances will be made? Answers in a few days.
The rise in consumer prices is expected to continue in the coming months. INSEE predicts an increase between 5% and 5.4% next June, enough to push the government to act, by proposing a salvo of measures to try to support modest households and low wages. In this sense, several proposals already mentioned by the executive for many weeks should indeed come into force. Here they are :
- Food voucher: its amount could reach 60 euros and should benefit young people aged 18 to 25, as well as low-income families with children. The measure could concern 8 million people in France with the aim of allowing low wages to consume French, organic, and preferably in short circuits. The food check should not come into force this year, replaced by inflation aid of 150 euros.
- Macron bonus: the Head of State intends to triple the amount of the exceptional purchasing power bonus to reach up to 6,000 euros in certain cases. It concerns employees whose salary does not exceed 3x the minimum wage.
- RSA: the active solidarity income should be conditional on a minimum of activity on the part of the beneficiaries. The most likely track remains 20 hours of training per month. A way for the executive to promote the return to employment.
- TV fee: it was a campaign promise the audiovisual fee will be abolished in 2022. Its amount was 138 euros in mainland France and 88 euros in Overseas for each household with a television.
- Indexation of pensions to inflation: In addition to the introduction of a minimum pension of 1,100 euros, Emmanuel Macron wishes to index retirement pensions to the level of inflation to take into account the sharp rise in prices which should be durable.
- Fuel bonus: the government could extend the discount of 18 cents on a liter of fuel, and even set up new, more targeted aid for those who have no choice but to use their vehicle to get to their workplace.
As announced by the spokesperson for the current government Gabriel Attalthe various measures forming part of the purchasing power law should be announced “after the legislative elections“. A way of respecting the timetable that Emmanuel Macron had set for himself and his various media outings, regularly announcing the implementation of these measures by the summer. Having not obtained an absolute majority in the Assembly , the Ensemble group will have to compose and forge alliances to try to obtain it and pass its laws. The announcement of the purchasing power bill is scheduled for July 6, not sure that this deadline will be respected in given the fragmentation of the political landscape since the second round of legislative elections.
Invited to the microphone of France Info Friday June 10, the Minister of the Budget Gabriel Attal took the opportunity to recall its complexity of implementation before being a little more optimistic about a possible start-up in the months to come: “It’s quite complicated technically to be able to have aid that targets certain products in certain places. We hope to be able to present this measure in 2023″. Preceded by the introduction of inflation aid, the energy check could therefore simply be postponed for a few months. Why not make it official in the first quarter of 2023? For the time being, the project is on hold.
To fight against the general increase in consumer prices, and in particular food prices, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced the creation of aid paid directly into the bank account of beneficiaries, from the start of the 2022 school year. information is not yet known, but the scheme could well resemble the old inflation bonus of 100 euros introduced by Emmanuel Macron.