Another setback for the government: the National Assembly voted three billion euros more for the development of the railway on Monday afternoon with a coalition of opponents against the opinion of the Macronists during the review of the 2023 budget.
PS, LFI and LR had submitted amendments to “invest” in the train. However, the government will have the possibility of dismissing them when it reactivates a probable 49.3 for this spending to be approved without a vote.
“Billions Fly in Squadrons”
The Minister for the Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, lamented the “showcase” of the opposition, without “starting from the need for the territories.”
“Billions fly square,” commented his colleague from Transport, Clément Beaune, who defended the “railway priority” of the executive, investments for “merchandise” or “night trains.”
There are not enough Macronists
To defend the amendment, the socialist Gérard Leseul had underlined the investment of “100 billion in fifteen years”, half of which is financed by the State, mentioned by the director general of the SCNF, Jean-Pierre Farandou.
“We must put the package” for the “ecological fork” in particular on the “piggyback”, elaborated the chairman of the LFI Finance Committee, Eric Coquerel.
The socialist amendment was approved by 78 votes against 54. “It’s magic, it’s free, it’s Halloween, it’s the taxpayer who pays,” lamented Minister Clément Beaune.
When ‘49.3’ arrives, ‘what are you going to keep with the credits we voted for this afternoon?’, the rebel Clémence Guetté questioned him in return.
Source: BFM TV
