Michel Barnier: taxes, immigration, agriculture, end of life… what to remember from the Prime Minister's interview on France 2

Michel Barnier guest on l'Evénement on France 2 this Thursday, October 3. Capture X

Two days after his general policy speech before the National Assembly and less than a week before the budget presentation, Michel Barnier was the guest on the show l'Evénement on France 2 this Thursday, October 3. He spoke at length about the economy, and developed a few other important issues. Here is what to remember from his television appearance.

"I'm the one who sets the line" : Michel Barnier sought to assert his authority on Thursday by assuming tax increases for some "300 companies" as well as "the wealthiest individuals", despite friction with the Macronist camp, and by qualifying the hard line advocated by his Minister of the Interior on immigration.

Details on the increases tax

“We are going to ask the largest companies that make more than a billion” euros in turnover to make an effort, “this represents 300 companies”, the Prime Minister explained on France 2. The “time” of this additional contribution “will be set in law”, “it will be one year, maybe two years”.

“But there will be no new taxes on almost all of the 4 million companies”, he added, refuting any “tax shock”.

Michel Barnier also announced that the tax increases that will target the wealthiest people – households earning more than 500,000 euros per year – will allow "to recover 2 billion euros".

Budget 

The head of government had been put under pressure in the morning by Gérald Darmanin, spearhead of opponents in the Macronist camp to any increase in taxation.

"Unacceptable", had notably castigated the former Minister of Public Accounts, warning that he would not "vote for a tax increase", considering in particular that a revision of the reductions in employer contributions would amount to "an increase in the cost of labor" and a rise in the unemployment.

"In the effort we are going to make to reduce the debt, 60 billion, there will be two thirds of reduction in public spending. And it is going to be very hard", the Prime Minister also warned, announcing his intention to "merge public services" and “probably not replacing all civil servants”.

Single social allowance

Michel Barnier has again indicated that he wants to launch “for next year” a project for “the single social allowance”, “so that at the end of this work, it pays more to work than not to work”, a project defended by Laurent Wauquiez (LR).

First step: the budget vote, which Mr. Barnier admitted will probably go through a 49.3, since'"there is no majority" in the National Assembly.

The exercise of the grand televised oral on Thursday evening was to serve the tenant of Matignon to affirm his course but also to establish his authority, after several hiccups in his fragile coalition.

Immigration

Addressing his Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, who had provoked the ire of many Macronists for having assured that the rule of law was “not sacred” or that immigration was “not an opportunity”, Michel Barnier retorted : “I'm the one who sets the line”.

🗣️ « L’immigration quand elle choisie et qu’on accueille des gens en danger […], c’est une chance »

👤 @MichelBarnier, Premier ministre, en direct dans #Levenement, présenté par @Caroline_Roux pic.twitter.com/RVt6vda7Q6

— L'Événement (@LevenementFTV) October 3, 2024

“There will be rigorous measures to control” immigration, he assured, while seeming to dismiss the idea of ​​a new law demanded by Marine Le Pen.“I'm not going to get into big ideological debates”, he added.

Agriculture

Expected Friday in Puy-de-Dôme at the Livestock Summit, the head of government also promised Thursday to “take a break from standards” agricultural to "encourage" farmers affected by crises.

"They are fed up with constraints, rules and controls" and “they work a lot in a vital way to make a living, to feed the French with healthy, balanced, diversified, traceable food”, he argued, after receiving the head of the powerful agricultural union FNSEA, Arnaud Rousseau, at Matignon on Wednesday.

End of life

On the subject of the end of life, the tenant of Matignon said “in favor of returning to work at the time it was interrupted” in the National Assembly, dissolution required, emphasizing that he was “not necessarily in agreement with all the amendments” adopted during the examination of this bill.

🗣️ Aide à mourir : « Je suis favorable à reprendre le travail »

👤 @MichelBarnier, Premier ministre, veut poursuivre le projet de loi sur la fin de vie, interrompu par la dissolution #Levenement pic.twitter.com/e7j0CSkdrw

— L'Événement (@LevenementFTV) October 3, 2024

And, on all of his projects and his action, he hammered home his acceptance to be unpopular“to be unpopular”.

Even within his coalition ? The way in which the head of government publicly snubbed his predecessor, Gabriel Attal, on the budget deficit “found on arrival”, has left deep marks on the team of the new majority.

“I am not sure that the best way to ensure the support of his deputies is to give the president of group", observed the former Macronist minister Roland Lescure. "It was not necessary", added Gérald Darmanin, "especially since he did not respond in the same tone to Madame Le Pen".