The National Assembly rejects the revenue part of the budget

Wednesday November 4, in the National Assembly, the revenue part of the budget was not supported by any deputy, a first under the Fifth Republic. The rejection received 458 votes against, coming from all political groups. Only two abstentions were recorded in the communist and overseas group.

Over the course of ten days of debate, the left and the right had profoundly reworked this budget. Savings were eliminated and taxes increased... Speaking to France 2, a ministerial advisor confided: "this odds and ends budget had become a Frankenstein copy that no one wanted to vote for."

The Minister of Action and Public Accounts, David Amiel, had anticipated the outcome of the vote: “If tonight is not really the time for suspense, the next few days will have to be those of surprise,” he declared.

The reactions of the deputies testify to the ambient unease. "It's a mess without a name. Unfortunately, since 2022, it's been like that. But I think that this year, it's the boon for me", commented Philippe Ballard, RN deputy for Oise, to France 2. Perrine Goulet, deputy for Les Démocrates de la Nièvre, also confided to France 2: "What I would have liked is for us to be able to discuss a budget properly with colleagues. Today, if it is rejected, it will go to the Senate and perhaps when we return, we will finally be able to work on it properly."

In its initial version, the draft budget forecasts a public deficit of 5% of GDP in 2027. This target is opposed to the 5.4% expected this year and involves nearly 43 billion in savings. Today, the government claims to be listening to opposition in order to find a compromise, while setting a red line: returning to a 5% deficit in 2027. David Amiel (Renaissance) deplored the votes of the deputies. According to him, they would reduce the deficit to "5.9%" of GDP, while the government text aims for 5%.

The Senate will examine the text from November 20. It will then go before the joint committee from December 9. An agreement must be reached before December 17 at midnight. If negotiations fail, the government can choose to use article 49.3 in order to have the budget adopted, subject to a motion of censure. He can also proceed by prescription, at the same risk.

Machine-translated from French