On October 10, the French government presented its latest budget. Despite the rhetoric of bourgeois editorialists who were panicking at the idea of the government taxing the richest, we’re a long way from that. New French Prime Minister, Michel Barnier may have announced a review of “reductions in social security contributions,” but for the bosses, it’s still exemptions and subsidies galore. As for the 500 richest families, they’ll be able to keep their hands on the 1,200 billion euros they owned in 2024! It’s true that the richest among them will be asked to contribute 2 billion euros over three years, but the government assures us that this will be a one-off. As always, the working classes are the first to be targeted.
40 billion euros of belt-tightening for public services
To find 60 billion euros to make up for government deficits, we might as well look to public services. It’s true that Barnier and his band of thugs have set the bar very high in this respect. It has been announced that 4,000 teaching positions will be cut from the French education system, against a backdrop of a shortage of teaching staff to look after pupils, a situation that worsens with each new school year. Added to this is a historic $15 billion cut to Social Security: the removal of certain drugs from the health insurance system will further complicate access to care, and retirees will have to wait another six months for their pensions to be indexed to the rising prices. As for workers deprived of their jobs by employers, who were hardly spared by the French governments under the former Prime Ministers Borne and Attal, they have once again been severely attacked, with 400 million in savings planned for unemployment insurance. The rich play the same old tricks – picking the pockets of the poorest.
State coffers empty out and rich people’s pockets fill up
To save money, the government has come up with another daring move: cut 9% of the budget for funds allocated to the French Overseas Departments and Territories, during a time of social crisis and deterioration of vital infrastructures, such as the distribution of drinking water.
However, the government has not lost track of its priorities, and has not forgotten to increase the army budget from 3.3 billion euros, to 50.5 billion euros. Preparing for conflicts to defend the interests of French imperialism, providing subsidies and orders to gun merchants: these are the fundamentals of a government at the service of the ruling classes!
For workers, there’s no question of footing the bill!
While profits are doing well, the daily lives of the working classes are marked by widespread impoverishment. Throughout France, 20,200 layoffs were recorded in the first quarter of 2024, affecting workers in the automotive sector in particular, but also in the social sector. Their situation will not be improved by the new cuts planned to the Social Security budget. At the same time, inflation continues to weigh heavily on our daily expenses… and the government is piling on the costs by increasing the electricity consumption tax by 3 billion euros!
In the French territory Martinique, a true revolt against the high cost of living has been underway for the past month. Despite government repression, strikes and blockades continue. Last Friday, the protests led to the closure of the island’s main airport and all its schools. These demonstrators are absolutely right: it’s up to all workers to join them!
