World Cup, spending power, NATO: This week in French politics

This week, MPs are set to study the bill aimed at improving people’s spending power after its contents were examined by France’s ‘commission mixte paritaire’ (joint committee) following reviews from senators last week.

The government will bring forward the results of estimations on France’s projected growth and spending for debate by MPs as part of a report that seeks to establish economic stability.

Other debates include topics already discussed, such as the integration of Finland and Sweden into NATO and the ‘projet de loi de finances rectificative’ (PLFR) budget amendment bill.

The government’s proposed measures on spending power received support from members of conservative Les Républicains (LR) and far-right Rassemblement National (RN), who said that they were moving “in the right direction”.

Assemblée nationale

Tuesday, August 2

• MPs will discuss the bill which aims to allow Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO, as part of an accelerated procedure triggered by the war in Ukraine.
• The government will open a public session with a declaration on its 2022-2027 economic stability project, which will then be debated by MPs.

The report contains government projections on growth, public spending and debt The Connexion understands.

Estimates from the government are expected to take into consideration the spending power and the PLFR bill.

Wednesday, August 3

• MPs will vote on the bill that looks to establish a partnership between France and Qatar with regards to this year’s football World Cup (November 21 - December 18). The bill is coming back to the Assemblée Nationale after having been agreed by senators.

French military, police and firefighter forces will offer assistance to Qatari forces in handling, planning, monitoring and intervening on every security aspect of football games during the World Cup.

• MPs will discuss a Senate report on the spending power bill that was put together by the commission mixte paritaire.

The commission is composed of seven MPs and seven senators from both chambers and is charged with finding a compromise on conflicts between senators and MPs.

Read more: MPs pass France’s purchasing power law: What does it include?

Senators from the Les Républicains (LR) group have previously expressed the desire to “free up access to work”, encouraging unemployed and underemployed people to find employment rather than offering them state support.

For example, LR senators already proposed an amendment to the spending power bill which would have kept increases to the revenu de solidarité active (RSA) benefit payment below the 4% rise that was eventually agreed. This amendment was rejected by the Senate.

The bill was passed to the Senate on Thursday after a heated Assemblée nationale debate which continued into Tuesday night.

Thursday, August 4

• MPs will discuss a report from the commission mixte paritaire on the PLFR, a bill that looks to bring modifications to France’s annual budget. It is supposed to work hand in hand with the spending power bill.

The PLFR is designed to explore new measures aimed at containing inflation and protecting spending power, and proposes to spend €55billion after an unexpectedly strong 7% growth in 2021.

The bill will be discussed on Thursday and Friday.

• Likewise, the spending power bill will be at the heart of discussion with three public sessions planned at 9:00, 15:00 and 21:00 on Thursday and Friday.

Senate

Monday, August 1

• Senators will study amendments to the PLFR on Monday and Tuesday

Wednesday, August 3

• Senators will vote on some of the recommendations from a report on the prevention of megafires.

The report comes after several fires have caused considerable damage in Brittany and southern France in a summer heatwave that saw record-breaking temperatures.

The heatwave also convinced the government to increase the country’s water bomber plane capacity to cope with future fires, which are predicted to grow more frequent as a result of climate change.

Read more: Arson suspected in two wildfires in southern France
Read more: French wildfires: Airbus tests way to adapt plane into water bomber

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