The French parliament on Wednesday approved a 20 billion euro package to help needy families cope with rising energy and food prices.
The vote, with 395 votes in favor and 112 against, came after a heated debate in the National Assembly (lower house of the French parliament), where President Emmanuel Macron no longer has a majority. The Senate, the upper house, is expected to vote on the text later this Wednesday.
The law was one of the key campaign promises of Macron, who was re-elected for a second presidential term in April. It was also an important test of the executive’s ability to govern, as well as the ability of opposition forces to influence the legislative process.
Macron’s centrist alliance won a majority of seats in the National Assembly in June but lost an outright majority, while the left and far-right coalition won major victories, cementing their position as opposition forces.
Annual inflation reached a record 8.6% in 19 eurozone countries due to huge increases in food and energy prices, partly caused by the war in Ukraine. In France, annual inflation is currently estimated at 6.5%.
“Your purchasing power is our priority,” French government spokesman Olivier Veran tweeted.
“To protect you from inflation, we have kept fuel and electricity prices fixed and set a cap on rent increases of 3.5%,” he added.
The law also provides for a 4% increase in pensions and some social benefits. On fuel, the government-funded rebate, which currently stands at 18 cents per liter, will increase to 30 cents in September and October.
Private companies are also encouraged to provide employees with an annual tax-free bonus of up to €6,000.
The diploma was supported by members of Macron’s centrist alliance, the conservative Republican Party and the far-right National Union. It was discussed in the French Parliament along with an updated version of the budget law, which will be voted on later this week.
The left-wing coalition Nupes – the main opposition force made up of left-wing radicals, communists, socialists and environmentalists – criticized the measures as insufficient and spoke almost entirely against the law this Wednesday.
Heated discussions in the National Assembly led to debates dragging on in the evenings and weekends, with MPs from Macron’s alliance sometimes having to rush to the National Assembly to prevent the opposition’s amendment proposals from being passed.
“We are experiencing one of the most serious energy crises in history, which accounts for about 60% of current inflation,” said French Energy Transition Minister Agnès Panier-Runachet.
According to the minister, this law provides for measures to increase the production and distribution of energy, including the possible requisition of gas-fired power plants in the event of a threat to natural gas supplies.
Another measure involves the installation of a floating terminal at the western port of Le Havre to allow more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be imported from countries such as the US and Qatar.
The last few weeks of debate in the National Assembly have contrasted with those in previous years, when Macron had an absolute majority, allowing him to take action almost automatically.
The parliamentary session ends this week for the two houses of parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate, and will resume in October.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
