Several left-wing figures, as well as President Emmanuel Macron, paid tribute on Thursday to Louis Mermaz, a faithful “traveling companion” of François Mitterrand and the first socialist president of the National Assembly under the Fifth Republic, who died at the age of 92. The flood of tributes on the social network X began with that of the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, who expressed his “immense sadness” and saluted his illustrious elder whose “lively spirit accompanied us in all our battles.”
“He was a true model of defense of public freedoms and human rights,” reacted for his part the leader of La France insoumise Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who was a long-time activist in the PS, also testifying to his “affliction”. Emmanuel Macron himself hailed on X a “statesman, guided by the demand for justice. A humanist in the Republic”.
The adoption of the finance bill is expected to be complex as the National Assembly lacks a clear majority and the European Union has initiated proceedings against France for excessive public deficit. France must save 25 billion euros in 2024 to straighten out its finances, according to Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, who sent Prime Minister Gabriel Attal proposals for spending ceilings ministry by ministry, with a “reduction in state appropriations”, with the aim of bringing the public deficit below 3% of GDP in 2027.
Matignon assured AFP on Wednesday evening that these ceiling letters would be sent to the ministries “in the coming days”, without this “first budgetary basis” pre-empting “the final decisions which will be made by the next government”.
Lucie Castets, designated candidate of the left-wing coalition demanding Matignon, had judged at the beginning of August Release “very problematic” the fact that the government is preparing a budget, which according to her goes “beyond the management of current affairs”.
The government froze ten billion euros of additional credits in July, leading to “a reserve” of 16.5 billion euros to reduce the deficit, announced on Wednesday the (resigning) Minister Delegate for Public Accounts Thomas Cazenave in an interview with South West“On July 16, I froze nearly 10 billion euros of additional credits. The new government will either be able to renounce them or take other measures to support our debt reduction,” said the resigning minister and MP for Bordeaux.
“Between the 10 billion frozen in July and those frozen before, we have a reserve of 16.5 billion euros as a precaution,” he said. He did not specify which credits are concerned.
In the middle of summer, the editorial staff of 20 Minutes remains mobilized to give you all the political information. And as every day since the second round of the legislative elections, the name of a Prime Minister is awaited. Resisting pressure from political parties for a quick decision, Emmanuel Macron is playing the “vacation” card for the moment.