The hemicycle rejected the tax on “superprofits”. Elected officials narrowly voted to reject the main amendments from the ranks of the left-wing alliance Nupes, but also from the Agrupación Nacional (RN). Among these proposed changes to the amending Treasury Law was the establishment of “a tax on superprofits or exceptional profits” of large multinationals in the transport of goods or oil.
The Assembly votes were very close (96 in favor, 114 against). Four deputies from the majority abstained, including Sacha Houlié and Caroline Janvier, who had defended the principle of this tax. One of his colleagues at Horizons voted in favour. The majority could count on the support of the Republicans for this text. “Our DNA is to tax less,” said Véronique Louwagie.
Opposition deputies wanted an “exceptional tax of 25% on the super profits” of the various companies, oil and gas, maritime transport or highway concessionaires. A principle also defended by members of the majority, who had presented amendments to propose this tax. But they were eventually pulled after announcements by TotalEnergies and CMA CGM.
The “push” of TotalEnergies and CMA CGM
The energy and shipping giants on Friday offered a pump discount of 20 cents for one and a reduction in freight rates of 750 euros per 40-foot container for the other. The Economy Minister, Bruno Le Maire, criticized the principle of a tax, of “ideological emphasis”, according to him, and welcomed the gestures of TotalEnergies and CMA CGM.
“Yes, the pressure of the National Assembly on Total and on CMA CGM has been effective and I thank all the parliamentarians, all the seats combined”, rejoiced Bruno Le Maire, for whom the voluntary contribution of the two groups makes “more money for the French”.
Words that aroused the anger of the left. “The French people are suffering when Total is getting fed up,” said Insoumis leader Mathilde Panot. “They reject a legitimate measure that is spreading among us,” lamented socialist Christine Pires Beaune, citing the cases of Spain, Great Britain or Italy that have adopted exceptional taxes on “super profits.”
“There was a time, in this hemicycle at the beginning of the Third Republic, where the big bosses sat directly to defend their interests, they had the merit of transparency, now they are ministers”, attacked the RN Jean-Philippe Tanguy, speaking of ” indecent number” between “lobbying and the defense of macronie”.
During the examination in first reading of the project of law of reform of the property organized this Saturday, the Assembly also voted the suppression of the canon of audio-visual license.
Source: BFM TV
