The Government “has no other option” and had to approve the revenue part of the budget by 49.3 votes, said Budget Minister Thomas Cazenave on Wednesday, highlighting the enrichment of the text with more than 300 amendments, in particular the opposition.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s announcement about the use of her 13. 49.3 on Wednesday “is not a surprise,” but “we have no other option,” Cazenave said during a press conference.
“We have no other option, because there is no alternative budget with oppositions that have irreconcilable demands, on the one hand those who denounce an unprecedented austerity cure and others who demand deep cuts in our budget,” he stated.
300 amendments against 120 in 2022
However, according to Thomas Cazenave, there was “dialogue and parliamentary time.” He recalled the various meetings of the Bercy Dialogues that he held in the ministry in the weeks prior to the presentation of the draft budget for 2024 with representatives of the parties of the National Assembly or the Senate.
The final text “is different” from the initial project, Thomas Cazenave stressed, since “we retain more than 300 amendments” compared to 120 last year, and amendments “naturally from the majority but also from the opposition.”
He welcomed the fact that “the compatible modifications have been applied”, while remaining “in the general financial balance” of the budget.
Source: BFM TV
