A new controversy arose on the benches of the National Assembly this Thursday, January 25. And it concerns the advance of mandate fees (AFM). An allocation made available to deputies to cover, among other things, expenses linked to the travel of elected officials, accommodation costs or even the rental of offices.
On Wednesday, the office of the National Assembly voted for its increase. Plus 300 euros per month, thus bringing the AFM from 5,645 euros to 5,950 euros. An increase of 5.4%. Enough to arouse the ire of many deputies who protested at the absurdity of such a measure at a time when the country is facing the anger of farmers, stunned by European standards, and demonetized by international competition .
Ruffin called to order by Braun-Pivet
“300 euros more for MPs? That’s the monthly income of a third of farmers!” protested the rebel François Ruffin on Wednesday evening on his X account (formerly Twitter). And the deputy for the Somme committed to paying “these 300 euros” to “Solidarité Paysans”, a movement bringing together 35 associations which fight against rural exclusion.
But this Thursday, François Ruffin was given a call to order. By the President of the National Assembly in person. “It is not part of the costs that he has the right to spend, the money does not belong to him,” retorted Yaël Braun-Pivet.
Since the publication of this decision which has aroused numerous criticisms, the member for Yvelines has insisted that it is not “an increase in the remuneration of parliamentarians”, but rather “an increase in the ceiling of our expenses that allow us to fully exercise our mandate and meet the expectations of our fellow citizens.
A decision taken unanimously…
The President of the National Assembly also recalled that the decision to increase the AFM ceiling was “taken unanimously” by all political groups. With the exception of La France insoumise which abstained. And to denounce the “lesson givers” who “vote and the next day issue a press release”.
A dig addressed to the National Rally, whose parliamentary group called in a press release published this Thursday morning, Yaël Braun-Pivet to “postpone this measure indefinitely” which “rightly arouses a certain emotion among our compatriots in a period where the purchasing power of many French people is very degraded. “It seems inappropriate to us to make this decision at a time when the French are plunged into a terrible purchasing power crisis,” defended the leader of the frontist deputies Marine Le Pen who presented this Thursday morning her wishes to the press.
…but contested
Seeing the controversy swell, the leader of the socialist group in the National Assembly took the lead on Wednesday evening. From his X account (formerly Twitter), Boris Vallaud pins an article published by the newspaper Release who took up information from AFP, according to which his group supported the decision to increase the AFM. “The socialists did not support this decision,” he corrects.
This, for a simple reason: the vice-president of the National Assembly Valérie Rabault was absent during the vote. However, the elected official from Tarn-et-Garonne is the only socialist deputy to be part of the national office of the Palais Bourbon which is made up of 22 members. Present at the start of the meeting which would have “taken a lot of delay, Valérie Rabault would have expressed reservations on a measure that she considers “inopportune” in the face of “the purchasing power difficulties encountered by the French” “This decision was taken by the Assembly office alone. The deputies were absolutely not informed beforehand”, added this Thursday the leader of the rose party Olivier Faure from his X account.