François Braun announces an extension of 543 million euros for the hospital

The government takes into account the “additional costs linked to Covid-19”. The Minister of Health François Braun announced this Monday before the National Assembly an additional envelope of 543 million euros for the hospital in 2022.

This extension, via a government amendment to the Social Security draft budget, “is part of our unprecedented effort to support the hospital and all the staff who make it work,” said the minister. It is in addition to some 570 million euros for the hospital presented to the Senate in order in particular to “deal with the early epidemic of bronchiolitis”, specified François Braun.

“A little DIY”

The socialist deputy Jérôme Guedj then defended a motion for the preliminary rejection of the draft budget, examined in a new reading, stressing that these additions are “a little bit tinkering” in the face of “the collapse of the public hospital”, and that the executive remains, according to him, “in denial of inflation”.

François Braun praised a draft budget of “commitment and responsibility”, which also provides for preventive health measures and a year of internship as a priority in medical deserts for general practitioners in training. Some 800 amendments have been tabled.

The 49.3, again

But according to parliamentary sources, the debates could be cut short, Elisabeth Borne, deprived of an absolute majority, preparing to draw once again the constitutional weapon of 49.3 to have the text adopted without a vote. “This budget is that of the government, but it is also that of national representation,” insisted François Braun, without convincing the deputies.

Jérôme Guedj expressed his “frustration” with a government that will only “peck here and there” to retain amendments from the opposition. “The hasty abuse of 49.3 will harm the health of our parliamentary democracy,” predicted Thibault Bazin (LR).

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