The debates in the hemicycle were lively and often stormy. They lasted four days. The National Assembly adopted on the night of Tuesday July 26 to Wednesday July 27 the second part of the measures in support of purchasing power, before its examination in the Senate. The deputies voted at first reading this rectified draft budget for 2022 by 293 votes against 146, and 17 abstentions.
The Republicans, to whom the executive has repeatedly given satisfaction, supported the text. The deputies of the National Rally, on the other hand, did not take part in the vote: they left the hemicycle in protest against the way in which the Assembly reversed a revaluation of additional pensions of 500 million euros for pensions pension approved a few hours earlier. The government has indeed asked for a second deliberation to cancel a measure it was fighting. Here are the main measures voted in this amended draft budget, which opens up 44 billion euros in credits.
The National Assembly voted, Saturday July 23, the abolition of the fee which finances public broadcasting, a promise by Emmanuel Macron. LR and RN voted for, the left alliance Nupes unanimously against. Majority and LR amendments were adopted to affect "a fraction" of VAT, for an amount of around 3.7 billion euros, in order to address concerns about the financing of this sector.
The Minister of Public Accounts Gabriel Attal expressed his attachment to "a strong public audiovisual", describing as "obsolete" this fee based on the possession of a television, at the time of tablets and other smartphones. The fee is set at 138 euros per year in mainland France.
As expected, the deputies approved the financing by the State of the 100% renationalisation of EDF, a 9.7 billion euro operation intended to get the electricity production and supply group out of its financial rut. and industrial.
Environmentalists denounced the "all-nuclear course" while LR conversely deplored the closure of the Fessenheim nuclear power plant. The State already owns 84% of EDF and intends to launch a public purchase offer (OPA) due to end at the end of October.
The deputies also voted, Friday, July 22, the possibility for companies to buy back from employees the days of Reduction of working time (RTT) which they would have given up. The government has thus acceded to a request from the right to include a promise from its candidate for the Elysée Palace Valérie Pécresse. Initially, the group Les Républicains had tabled a series of amendments in order to "better reward work and merit and increase the net salaries of the French".
The presidential majority, through LREM deputy Marc Ferracci, presented its own amendment to limit the measure in time, between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. This time frame "must allow reflection and consultation on an even more ambitious device", he explained.
MEPs also approved, also on Friday, an increase in the overtime tax exemption ceiling for 2022, which thus goes from 5,000 to 7,500 euros.
Monday July 25, in the evening, 230 million euros for homes heating with fuel oil were approved, by concordant votes from LR, RN and the left. The government favored aid of 50 million euros. The Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, called loud and clear for budgetary moderation: "Let's keep the public accounts!"
For the continuation of the fuel discount, the government has entered into a compromise, one more, with the Republicans, even if the measure must still be specified by decree. The discount, currently at 18 cents per liter of fuel, will increase to 30 cents in September and October, then to 10 cents in November and December. The National Assembly has also narrowly rejected a tax on the superprofits of large groups.
