Two days after his general policy speech to the National Assembly, Prime Minister Michel Barnier was the guest of the political program “L’Événement” on France 2 on Thursday October 3 in the evening.
On this occasion, the head of government returned to the various announcements made to the deputies, revealing the details of the orientations of his government program, in particular concerning the budget which he must present next week or even savings avenues for the public finances.
► Tax increases on businesses and the wealthiest
Michel Barnier has indicated that he wants to achieve tax increases for some “300 companies” as well as “the most fortunate people”despite the friction with the Macronist camp.
“We are going to ask for an effort from the largest companies which make more than a billion” euros of turnover, “this represents 300 companies”developed the Prime Minister. THE « temps » of this additional contribution “will be fixed in law”, “it will be a year, maybe two years”.
“But there will be no new taxes on almost all of the 4 million companies”he added, refuting everything « choc fiscal ».
Michel Barnier also announced that the tax increases which will target the wealthiest people – households earning more than €500,000 per year – will allow “to recover 2 billion euros”.
► Merge public services to save money
The government counts “merge public services” et “probably not replace all civil servants” in order to reduce public spending, explained the Prime Minister.
“We are going to merge public services. We will probably not replace all civil servants when they are not in direct contact with citizens, all civil servants who retire”developed Michel Barnier.
► A “single social allowance”
Michel Barnier announced his intention to launch “for next year” a construction site “the single social allowance”a project defended by Laurent Wauquiez, president of the LR deputies. The objective of this measure will be “so that at the end of this work, it pays more to work than not to work”he declared, specifying that this “construction will take a little time”.
The head of government considered that“work must pay more than the addition of benefits”. But also that it was necessary “debureaucratize” allowances and “perhaps sometimes increase some”such as for example that intended for “people with disabilities”. The Prime Minister added that he did not have “found concrete proposals on this subject” of the single allowance.
► Immigration: “I’m the one who sets the line”
“I’m the one who sets the line” on immigration, and “there will be rigorous measures to control (it)”assured Michel Barnier, after controversial remarks from Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, particularly on the rule of law.
The Prime Minister seemed to rule out the idea of a new law on immigration, as demanded by the leader of the National Rally deputies Marine Le Pen. “I am not going to announce laws in advance”he said, but “maybe there will be changes to the law if necessary”.
“We have just legislated (in December 2023, Editor’s note), we are going to apply the rules to better control immigration, to welcome those we want to welcome and those who have the right to be welcomed with us because they are refugees”he explained. While believing that there were “possible progress within the framework of the current law” and that there would be “rigorous measures to control immigration”.
“I am not going to get into major ideological debates”added Michel Barnier. He felt he had “luck” to have been able to compose a “government composed of pluralism (…), of men and women who do not all come from the same place”citing his Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau and that of Justice, Didier Migaud, with different sensitivities on the subject.
Questioned on the subject of State Medical Aid (AME) allowing undocumented immigrants to access care, a system whose scope Bruno Retailleau wishes to reduce, Michel Barnier estimated that we “can manage (it) better”. “It’s a broader question, we will look at things calmly so that those who are entitled to it can receive it”he added.
► Agriculture: “a break on standards”
The Prime Minister promised to “take a break from standards” pour ” encourage “ farmers affected by crises. “These farmers who are affected by health crises and poor harvests deserve to be encouraged. They are fed up. Fed up with constraints, rules and controls. So we’re going to take a break from the standards”he declared.
“They work a lot in a vital way to sustain life, to feed the French with healthy, balanced, diversified, traceable food”underlined Michel Barnier who was Minister of Agriculture from 2007 to 2009 under the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy.