2024-11-05 20:41:00
The National Assembly, in Paris, October 31, 2024. STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP
The National Assembly failed, Tuesday evening, November 5, to complete the examination of the Social Security budget within the allotted time. The text will thus be transmitted to the Senate in the government’s initial version, possibly enriched with amendments chosen by the executive.
At the deadline, at midnight, the debates ended while there were still hundreds of amendments to be examined on the “expenses” part of the Social Security financing bill (PLFSS), which represents 600 billion euros.
Although the deputies approved on Monday, to everyone’s surprise, the “revenue” part – in a version strongly amended by the left -, there was therefore no final vote on the entire text within twenty days following its deposit by the government, as provided for in the constitution.
The oppositions requested, in vain, the extension of the exchanges during the night, but, at midnight, the minister responsible for relations with Parliament, Nathalie Delattre, rejected them. An extension could have “reduce the examination time that the Senate must have”and encroach on the time allocated to the Assembly for the state budget, she explained.
In the end, the executive will transmit its initial version of the text to the Senate, “modified by a certain number of amendments voted by your assembly and which the government will agree to retain”she concluded.
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Retirement pension freeze not examined
To the great dismay of the opposition, the Assembly did not have time to consider, before this premature end, the freezing of retirement pensions for six months, wanted by the government to save four billion euros. This provision had previously been largely rejected by the Social Affairs Committee.
“What a shame!” »exclaimed Jean-Philippe Tanguy (RN) a few minutes before midnight, while the debates dragged on on the reimbursement of thermal cures. “Fourteen million retirees are waiting to know what the National Assembly thinks about freezing their pensions, and we will have spent ten minutes on a bogus amendment”he lamented. “You have done everything so that we do not reach the end of the text”he told his colleagues from the right and the center. It was a “slowness competition”also commented to Agence France-Presse the president of the socialist group, Boris Vallaud.
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Before the final “gong” at midnight, the deputies still had time to adopt a series of amendments on Social Security spending. At the suggestion of the Socialists, the Assembly notably maintained the Social Security reimbursement rate for medical consultations at 70%. The government wanted to lower this rate to 60% but the left stressed that this would be detrimental for patients without complementary health insurance.
The Assembly also approved the reimbursement of consultations with certain approved psychologists, without prior medical prescription, and of tests allowing the detection of chemical submission.
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A system proposed by the left to deprive foreign doctors practicing in France even though they were qualified outside the European Union was also voted on. This vote by show of hands was the subject of long heated exchanges, with elected officials supporting the government accusing the session president, Nadège Abomangoli (LFI), of having misjudged the result. The “rebellious” elected official, however, remained firm and refused a second vote.
Other provisions, approved even though they had been proposed by the government, are more likely to be retained in the final text. This is the case of a reform of the calendar of preventive oral and dental examinations, which will now be annual for all children from 3 years old, and of the generalization of vaccination of middle school students against meningitis, in conjunction with that against papillomavirus (HPV).
With the end of work on the PLFSS, the Assembly will be able to resume debates on the “revenue” part of the state budget on Wednesday, on which a vote is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12.
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**Interview with Political Analyst Claire Dupont on the Social Security Budget Situation in France**
**Interviewer:** Claire, thank you for joining us today. We’ve just seen the National Assembly fail to complete the examination of the Social Security budget. Can you break down what exactly happened?
**Claire Dupont:** Glad to be here. The National Assembly had until midnight on November 5 to finalize the examination of the Social Security budget, which is a colossal 600 billion euros. However, despite the deputies approving the “revenue” part earlier in the week—modified significantly by the left—they simply ran out of time to address all the proposed amendments, particularly on the “expenses” side.
**Interviewer:** Right, and it seems the government’s proposal to freeze retirement pensions was notably not examined. Why is this significant?
**Claire Dupont:** Absolutely, it’s a critical point. The freeze was projected to save the government around four billion euros. With fourteen million retirees impacted, the decision not to evaluate this effectively leaves many in the dark about potential changes to their pensions. Voices from the opposition, like Jean-Philippe Tanguy from the National Rally, expressed significant frustration over the situation, emphasizing a lost opportunity for thorough debate.
**Interviewer:** And what implications does this have for the future of the budget?
**Claire Dupont:** Sending the original text to the Senate as it stands, with only partial amendments, could lead to further complications. The Senate may insist on its own modifications, which could delay the budget process altogether. Furthermore, by not addressing the pension freeze, there may be political repercussions for the government, as this has been a highly contentious issue.
**Interviewer:** The government’s handling of this situation has faced criticism. Can you elaborate on how the political landscape is reacting?
**Claire Dupont:** The government has been increasingly criticized—both for its timing and for its failure to engage in meaningful discussions. This issue is galvanizing opposition factions from both the left and the right, as they feel squeezed out of vital conversations. The debate around health care reimbursements, for instance, indicates a broader concern among deputies about patient welfare versus government savings.
**Interviewer:** In terms of public trust, how do you think this will affect citizens’ perception of their representatives?
**Claire Dupont:** This situation could indeed damage public trust. Citizens look to their representatives for transparency and responsiveness to pressing issues, such as pension security. If they feel their interests are being sidelined, it could lead to increasing dissatisfaction, and potentially a shift in support come election time.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Claire, for shedding light on this complex issue. We’ll be sure to follow how this situation develops in the coming weeks.
**Claire Dupont:** Thank you for having me. It will be interesting to see how these dynamics play out!
