“We cannot want to reduce the deficit and not vote for this budget”, replies Amélie de Montchalin to Édouard Philippe

The former Prime Minister announced this Tuesday that his party would not vote on the draft social security budget “as is”.

“We cannot want to reduce the deficit and not vote for this budget”responds on France Inter the Minister of Action and Public Accounts Amélie de Montchalin to Édouard Philippe, the president of Horizons. As it stands, “we cannot vote for” the draft budget for Social Security, judged Édouard Philippe on Tuesday December 2 in front of the deputies of his party, even though they are allies of the government.

Amélie de Montchalin, who was Secretary of State when Édouard Philippe was Prime Minister, assures that he is attached to “the importance of having public accounts in order”. Or, “those who want to reduce the deficit know that if there is no Social Security budget, there will be more deficit”underlines the minister. “This budget, if it is not voted on, and I want to say it with great calm, but above all seriousness, is a 29 billion deficit, if it is voted on, it is 6 to 9 billion less deficit.”

The vote will take place on Tuesday December 9. There is time left for “negotiate”assures Amélie de Montchalin, who hopes to change the minds of all those who do not intend to vote for this budget. “We’re not the subject”she insists, “what is at stake is not whether we abandon the government or not, what is at stake is whether we abandon the French and whether we abandon the deficit”.

The Minister of Action and Public Accounts also highlights that if there is no budget, the government “will be forced to issue decrees, it will be very undemocratic”she notes. “I think that in a democracy, parliamentarians are there to vote and that they have in their hands, next Tuesday, a ballot paper which has immense value”she continues. Also, “if France wakes up on January 1st” without budget, “we will have a crisis, a weakening”she warns. “Who will rejoice? Those who want us to fail. That’s not what we should do. We have a responsibility to succeed”insists the minister.