The opposition, which had rejected the 2023-2027 budget programming bill in committee, partially undid this text in the Assembly on Tuesday, rejecting key articles against the government’s advice, predicting a tough battle around the budget.
During a debate that had started without the slightest mishap for the majority, which initially rejected all the opposition’s amendments and approved the trajectory of reducing the deficit below 3% by 2027, the situation is reversed overnight.
In quick succession, the opposition rejected three key articles: the first, which set the five-year increase in the number of jobs per ministry at 1% and that of blue collar workers at 5%, was rejected by 157 votes to 149.
The majority was also in the minority (184-194) on the article that sets the budgets allocated to State missions, as well as on the one that establishes the maximum amount of “State economic aid” to local entities (175- 199).
No absolute majority
After a suspension of the session, the deputies resumed the discussions on the text, a kind of introduction to the debate on the 2023 budget that must begin calmly.
As in the other texts, the executive faces the absence of an absolute majority in the National Assembly. And contrary to what it is preparing for the 2023 budget project, the government does not intend to use article 49.3 of the Constitution – which allows adoption without a vote – for the programming law.
Because apart from the Treasury bill and the Social Security budget, the government can only use 49-3 once per session and does not want to burn this cartridge of this programming law.
This programming text foresees placing the deficit below 3% of GDP in 2027 and the stability of the number of civil servants throughout the five-year period.
The rejection in committee did not prevent the arrival of the initial project to the Assembly. The solemn vote of the text by the deputies is scheduled for October 25.
Source: BFM TV
