SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS / AFP
Three days after the categorical refusal of Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire to increase taxes, the president of MoDem is calling for a discussion between the government and parliamentarians.
François Bayrou on Monday called on the government and parliamentarians to discuss a targeted increase in taxes, as the MoDem has been demanding for several years, which Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire categorically refuses.
“A discussion can be opened. The Minister of Economy and Finance is preparing next year’s budget (…) It is good that the government and parliamentarians sit around the table and explore freely.he declared on RTL, when asked about the probable announcement on Tuesday by INSEE of a public deficit in 2023 significantly higher than the 4.9% (of GDP) initially planned.
“Squaring the circle”
Asked about the remarks of the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet, who mentioned the possibility of taxing companies carrying out “superprofits” or pouring “superdividends”François Bayrou recalled that the Modem proposed to the National Assembly “We have been exploring this path for several budget years already”. “If there are rebalancing measures, they must go towards those who have the most means, including the most means depending on the crisis, without damaging the image of France which allows attract investors”he pleaded, recognizing that this was a matter of “squaring the circle”.
François Bayrou suggested that he was opposed to a new reform of unemployment insurance, aimed at reducing the duration of compensation, as envisaged by the government. “I do not believe that the main culprits of unemployment are the unemployed, especially since a certain number of them have lost work skills over time. We must therefore reform them”he judged.