If it comes to power, the RN threatens to cut subsidies to the CGT: but how much do unions and employers receive from the state and what do they do with this money?

Isn't the RN's threat to the CGT in vain? Questioned by franceinfo on October 26, the president of the group affiliated with the far-right party, Sébastien Chenu, threatened to cut subsidies to the country's second largest trade union organization. “Public money is intended to subsidize actions of general interest and public interest.

If you are involved in politics, if you demonstrate, call to vote, etc. , you are embezzling public money, the money of all French people,” he argued. But in practice, this warning would be difficult to carry out.

Because, like political parties, unions, as well as employers' organizations, receive public subsidies each year. Since 2014, for greater transparency, all this has been supervised through the Fund for financing social dialogue, managed jointly by the social partners through an association called AGFPN. A fund financed mainly by companies Coincidentally, the latter published this same week its annual report which it submitted to the government, on the use of the credits allocated in 2025.

We learn in particular that nearly 157 million euros were distributed, financed mainly by companies via a contribution of 0.016% of the payroll, and, to a lesser extent, by the State, to the tune of 34.7 million euros. These credits were distributed to varying degrees between the trade union organizations, whether central but also professional branches or other unions such as Unsa and Solidaires, which are not representative at the national level. Regarding the union centers, in order, the CFDT received 23.7 million euros, the CGT 22 million, FO 18.3 million, the CFE-CGC 16.5 million and the CFTC 14.4 million.

Far behind, Unsa and Solidaires received 4.8 and 3.2 million euros respectively. As for employers, Medef received 15.7 million euros, far ahead of Entrepreneurs (ex-CPME) who received 9.4 million euros. U2P received 5.8 million euros.

Negotiating and giving their opinion is part of their missions. These grants finance specific missions, which are detailed in the AGFPN report. Organizations participate in particular in policies carried out jointly (that is to say between unions and employers), such as for example the management of unemployment insurance. This mission also includes negotiations within the framework of social dialogue, or within the national framework.

As for example currently, where the social partners have been negotiating since Wednesday at the request of the government on sick leave. Organizations are also subsidized for their participation in public policies, in particular to give their opinion on reform proposals, but also for their actions on societal issues (employment of seniors, fight against discrimination, etc.).

Machine-translated from French