211 billion public aid to businesses … and with a baguette, Bayrou divides the addition by two!

The figure had the effect of a thunderclap: 211 billion euros in public aid was paid to companies in 2023. Furthermore, according to the Senate commission of inquiry, which rendered its work on 1^is Last July. Moreover, A colossal sum: 88 billion tax expenditure, 75 billion exemptions from social security contributions, 41 billion interventions via Bpifrance and 7 billion direct subsidies.

But hardly the figure revealed, the executive hastened to counter-attack. Nevertheless, It is Clément Beaune. Meanwhile, ex-minister and now high commissioner, who sticks to it, armed with a report to the sarcastic title: ” Get out of the vagueness, ensure transparency and evaluation. For example, »

In this note published on July 17. Furthermore, barely a week after the publication of senators’ work – the fruit of six months of investigation, it contrasts: the aid would amount to 112 211 billion public aid businesses billion euros. Almost half less. An express revision, not to say expeditious.

“A two -page report, produced in a hurry” – 211 billion public aid businesses

In detail, the High Commissioner retains 52 billion tax expenditure, 39.4 billion budgetary aid (subsidies), and 17.3 billion financial aid, but strongly minimizes the role of contributions exemptions, only retaining 3.2 billion out of the 75 billion estimated by the Commission.

A methodological gap which strongly displeases the communist senator author of the report, Fabien Gay (also director of humanity). He denounces on X (ex-Twitter). the fact of ” Degree a six -month work, 1,500 pages in three volumes, using a two -page report, has hastily produced. »

For his part, Prime Minister, François Bayrou, also tried to qualify the extent of the figure. On July 15. during the presentation of his austerity plan, he said he was fully aware ” Without wanting to criticize the high assembly, which 211 billion public aid businesses this addition adds in a somewhat rapidly reduction of loads to subsidies and multiple advantages of a very different nature ”, and add : “All of this is a bit dizzying, but 211 billion, let’s say more than 100 billion, these are very important sums. And it seems to me that we must regain reflection on all this set from new and frank orientations. »

Ideological fight on budget transparency

The Head of Government announces providing new prescription planning measures in exchange. for reducing certain subsidies so that ” Everyone wins ”. But here again. the promise seems unclear: these expected “economies” are not integrated into the plan to reduce public spending, while the government aims at more than 40 billion euros in savings in a context of austerity budget for 2026.

This tightness between the figures illustrates an ideological fight on budget transparency, but also the government’s economic 211 billion public aid businesses priorities. Can we always demand more efforts on the part of citizens while letting billions of euros go to businesses. sometimes without compensation or control?

While the executive calls for austerity for all. the question of public aid becomes a blind spot that Macronie tries to redefine in its own way: by changing the rules of calculation, rather than assuming political choices. One way to avoid the substantive debate: that of interests actually served.