Posted on September 26, 2022 at 12:09 pm
“It is not a rigorous budget, it is not a budget for facilities, it is a responsible and protective budget in times of great uncertainty. The Economy Minister, Bruno Le Maire, who presented the 2023 finance bill to the Council of Ministers on Monday, set the tone from Bercy, while the right wing should criticize the lack of ambition in terms of deficit reduction (such as the High Council of Public Finances), and that the left will advocate for more resources for the ministries.
The executive denies any laxity. “I will not let anyone say that this government is not responsible in terms of public finances,” hammered Bruno Le Maire this Monday morning. But the 2023 budget provides for a significant increase in the number of civil servants (+10,764 posts), which had been kept secret until then.
Decrease in the number of teachers.
Main beneficiaries: Ministry of the Interior (+3,109), Justice (+2,313) and Defense (+1,583), in accordance with the multi-year commitments assumed in favor of these sovereign missions. But also the Ministry of Employment (+1,039 positions) and National Education (+2,000).
Beware however, this latest increase is linked to the fact that now, the AESH (accompaniment of students with disabilities) are hired by the rectorates and integrated into the staff of civil servants. Thus, some 4,000 AESH positions are expected to be created for the start of the 2023 school year. On the other hand, the budget foresees a reduction of 1,985 teaching positions, with Bercy highlighting the expected drop in the number of students (-500,000 between 2022 and 2027) .
Lower volume spending
The Delegate Minister of Public Accounts, Gabriel Attal, clarified that despite these job creations in 2023, the objective of stability in the number of civil servants in the legislature is maintained “and will be met”. The increase in ministries’ resources is also reflected in their budget allocations, which will increase by €21.7 billion next year, with increases in particular close to €6 billion for Environment (including a budget increased to €2.5 billion for “MaPrimeRénov ‘”) and Employment, and 3,000 million for Defense.
However, in total, State spending will fall by 0.2% in volume compared to the amending finance law of the summer of 2022, indicated Bruno Le Maire, stressing that “it is difficult to have spending that grows more slowly than inflation “. For public spending as a whole, the drop in volume should be 1.5% in 2023, with Gabriel Attal insisting on the planned reduction in the rate of public spending from 57.6% in 2022 to 53.8% of GDP in 2027 It highlights the committed savings from next year health insurance (analytical laboratories, medicines, strikes, etc.), pending pension reform.
France is inside the euro.
bruno the mayor
The deficit target remains set at 5% of GDP in 2023, thanks to the dynamic forecasts for tax revenues (+ 5,000 million again for the State) and social benefits. “The absolute priority of the moment, Bruno Le Maire insisted, is “to lower the pressure of inflation, in France and at a European level. Which justifies the gas and electricity tariff shield, which will cost the State 16,000 million euros next year, and the stagnation of the deficit. Structural adjustment will account for just 0.2 points of GDP next year, which could send Brussels shivering.
The Red Lines of Bruno Le Maire
Before the arrival of the text in Parliament, Bercy’s ministers did not hide that it was likely to resort to article 49.3 of the Constitution. Bruno Le Maire has marked his “red lines” against the opposition: “No new spending that is not financed to the closest euro. France is inside the euro. »
Public debt is expected to stabilize at 111.2% of GDP next year, with interest charges rising to €51.7bn.