Employers' organisations oppose possible government censorship

"In all conscience, no one has an interest in weakening an already fragile French economy. Households and businesses would immediately pay the price. Let's instead consolidate our country," wrote the president of Medef, Patrick Martin, the leading employers' organization, on X.

"Do not sacrifice our businesses on the altar of your ambitions!", the Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CPME) launched for its part to the attention of the deputies, estimating in a press release that a censure of the government would only "increase our difficulties".

The National Rally announced on Monday morning its intention to vote on the motion of censure that the left could table as early as this afternoon on the very sensitive text of the PLFSS (draft law on the financing of social security), if the government were to use Article 49.3 to adopt it.

The CPME deplores "the dramatic drift in public accounts, which has not been controlled for years" and fears a France without a budget which "would open the door to a debt crisis whose consequences would hit economic players hard".

"Leaving our country without a solution would be irresponsible" and "our businesses would be the first victims" of the situation, the confederation also believes.

The tone of the bell is identical to that of the U2P, which called on "parliamentarians to be responsible", otherwise, according to it, they risk plunging France "into total uncertainty".

"France needs a compass and will not be able to prepare the recovery of its public accounts without the adoption of a social security financing bill and a finance bill for 2025," added the organization representing local businesses, in a press release.

The text of the PLFSS is the result of a compromise between a committee of senators and deputies and, as it stands, it should not be voted on by either the left or the far right given the division in the National Assembly.

"The text of the social security financing bill (...) does not meet the expectations of small businesses, indicated the U2P. "Nevertheless, it constitutes a lesser evil compared to the government's initial text, with in particular the abandonment of the removal of part of the exemptions from contributions between 1 minimum wage and 1,3 minimum wages."