French parliament faces chaos as budget debates intensify
Date
10/28/2024 8:16:04 AM
(MENAFN) The French parliament has descended into disarray as debates over revenue provisions within the 2025 finance bill have intensified, sparking discussions on whether President Emmanuel macron may need to invoke his presidential veto to push the budget through. Mounting divisions among legislators have led to the suspension of parliamentary sessions, with analysts speculating that Macron might use this authority to bypass the current legislative gridlock.
The budget discussions have centered around contentious financial reforms, including tax cuts for select businesses and tax hikes in other areas, aimed at tackling the national deficit. However, these proposals have encountered substantial opposition from some lawmakers who argue that they unfairly burden middle- and low-income earners, seeing them as economically discriminatory policies that widen income inequality.
Political analyst Jean Barthélemy suggested that Macron’s potential use of the presidential veto, a power he has exercised before, could enable him to enforce a budget more aligned with his economic strategy despite the parliamentary pushback. Analyst Philippe Druitt, a specialist in parliamentary affairs, warned that such a move could create a new rift between the executive and legislative branches, potentially inflaming tensions and spurring further public protests against the proposed budget changes.
Following six days of intense debate, parliamentary discussions stalled on Saturday without invoking Article 49.3 or scheduling a formal vote for the upcoming Tuesday. With 1,507 amendments still pending review, next week will focus on examining the social security budget, while deliberations on the 2025 budget are slated to resume in the National Assembly on November 5. Budget Minister Laurent Saint-Martin has since urged lawmakers to approach the discussions with greater pragmatism, emphasizing the government’s commitment to honoring parliamentary procedure and fostering a constructive debate.
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