The former Minister of Public Accounts, Thomas Cazenave, denies having hidden elements, citing errors in forecasts, while the Finance Commission of the National Assembly will be transformed into a commission of inquiry to determine the reasons for the budget deviation.
The deputy of the Ensemble of the Republic (ex-Renacimiento) declares himself “at the disposal of parliamentarians to explain” the reasons for this budget deviation and the difference between forecasts and actual income.
“They have difficulty evaluating recipes”
The deficit could reach 6.1% of GDP in 2024, a figure well above the 5.1% announced by the previous government. “The investigation commission will allow us to delve deeper into what happened with the income forecast models,” said the former minister.
He assures that the current situation is due to these forecast errors, but also to the increase in spending by local authorities, as well as the early legislative elections, which have “interrupted the recovery plan for public finances.” According to socialist deputy Philippe Brun, some elements were “deliberately hidden” by Bercy.
“Return to a more normal situation”
Thomas Cazenave also insisted on “unanimity” on “whatever it takes” during the Covid crisis. “It’s a little easy to say afterwards ‘you’ve done too much,'” he said, supported by former government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot, who denounced on Sud Radio a “capacity to forget.”
The text of the 2025 budget, examined since Monday in the chamber of the National Assembly, aims to reduce the deficit to 5% of GDP next year. The planned recovery measures represent 60 billion euros, including 20 billion in taxes.
Source: BFM TV
