the PS is looking for its “way of passage”

Although invited, the left did not go to the meeting with the government on the budget scheduled for Monday, due to the presence of the RN.

A balancing act. The PS boycotted the negotiation meeting on the budget which took place at midday on Monday, November 3, at the Ministry of Relations with Parliament, citing the presence of the National Rally, in particular. However, the socialists did not censor the government to give the budgetary debate a chance, precisely. A debate which, for the moment, is not in favor of the left. In search of a compromise on the budget but without giving the impression of being fooled, the PS is walking on a tightrope.

The socialists want, as much as possible, to avoid censorship, almost synonymous with the dissolution and breakthrough of the extreme right in their eyes. So, even if, for the moment, the budget does not suit the PS, Olivier Faure still wants to believe in it. “We are on a narrow path”declared the party’s first secretary on France Inter on Monday.

The PS has been in difficulty since last Friday’s votes in the Assembly. The hemicycle spoke out against the Zucman tax on the wealthiest and against its alternative version, two flagship measures of the socialists. Despite everything, MP Romain Eskenazi swears that the PS is reaping victories. “Last week, we had the suspension of the pension reform confirmed in committee. We had a new form of ISF, which will bring in around two billion euros more, and we had a certain number of taxes, both on very large fortunes, high assets, the resale of shares, Gafam…”lists the chosen one.

From now on, the party is opting for a change of strategy. There is no longer any question of asking for a single tax on the richest which would bring in around 15 billion euros, according to the yield estimated by the socialists for the Zucman tax. “A battery of several measures that bring in the same amount, that suits us too”summarizes a PS deputy.

Among PS deputies, more and more elected officials have the feeling of not obtaining enough concessions. They are meeting precisely to take stock of the budgetary debates. “All this smells a little like smoke, estimates Pierrick Courbon who does not say he is satisfied. I consider that out of the 15 billion euros that we are looking for today, we have barely a third of it.” For the elected official, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu does not put enough pressure on the deputies of his camp, which prevents the PS from reaping victories in the National Assembly.

“The Prime Minister sends us back to the majority and the majority tells us ‘We are waiting for a decision from the Prime Minister’.”

Christine Pirès Beaune, PS deputy for Puy-de-Dôme

at franceinfo

The head of government does not hold his troops, also regrets the socialist deputy Christine Pirès Beaune. “Its majority is either not there or it is completely divided. The majority should still follow the Prime Minister,” she assures. A socialist deputy warns his Macronist counterparts: “By sticking to their positions, he said, They will force us to censor Sébastien Lecornu.”