By reactivating the memory of the “social VAT”, Jean-Luc Mélenchon hit the bull’s eye despite a trial of intention made to the government.
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It could have been the climate transition or the fight against inequalities. But no. It is on the economy, and more specifically the budgetary issues, that the presidential majority and the new Ecological and Social People’s People’s Union (Nuts) have been competing for several days, in an amazing battle of figures that electrify the end of the campaign legislative.
“They [the government] have decided to withdraw 80 billion from the state budget, that is to say the budget of the entire interior ministry that of education, said the leader From La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, at the microphone of BFM-TV, Monday June 13. Let them tell us how they intend to do! “
An allusion to what the Nuts considers as the “Macron hidden project”: increase the VAT to finance the 80 billion euros in the cut. “Me, I answer their place, explained Mr. Mélenchon again on Monday. (…) You will not be able to remove such a sum, so you will have to increase the recipes. So you will increase VAT.”
“I want to deny with the greatest firmness (…) this delirium of our opponents. We have no intention of increasing VAT rates,” reacted the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, Tuesday June 14 on BFM-TV, taxing the episode of “conspirator”.
“not assumed austerity”
As often in politics, we make the figures say what we want. Jean-Luc Mélenchon can, rightly, take offense that we treat “fake news” the advanced amount. The 80 billion corresponds more or less to the amount necessary to reduce the public deficit (which reached 6.5 % of GDP in 2021) to 3 % by 2027. This is the goal brandished by Emmanuel Macron as the Alpha and the omega of the serious budgetary of his second five -year term. Without any supported explanations, while growth slows down and the pension reform, the main source of savings envisaged by the government, struggles to take shape.
But the continuation of Mr. Mélenchon’s reasoning is much more specious. From VAT increase, there has never been a question. Otherwise in a few “walkers” deputies several years ago, and possibly in the drawers of Bercy, whose administrations are never stingy in matters of tax creativity. The government has always increased taxes a red line. And the trauma of “yellow vests”, crisis triggered by the flight tax on fuels, hardly pleads in favor of a foot change.
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