Eric Lombard wants to let social partners debate the financing of the social model

President Emmanuel Macron called for a social conference on Tuesday evening "on the financing of our social model," which "relies far too heavily on labor." He called for this project to be launched "in the coming weeks" with unions and employers.

For the head of state, what is needed is "a social model that is less financed by work and more by other factors, in particular consumption," which is paid for in particular by "tourists" and "the most well-off people." This is a way of, in essence, reviving the "social VAT" trap, passed in 2012 and immediately repealed by François Hollande, which consisted of transferring reductions in contributions that weighed on work to an increase of a few percentage points in VAT.

"No one, neither the President of the Republic nor the government, has spoken about social VAT," Eric Lombard declared on Thursday.

"The President of the Republic has asked the government to organize a debate. But it is a debate that will primarily involve the social partners, on how to modify the financing of our social model, which is an essential model, to which we are all attached, but which is costly," the minister declared.

"My position since the beginning of this preparation of the 2026 finance law has been to allow the debate to develop between the social partners, between the political partners, to see what the political balance is," Eric Lombard emphasized.

"Personally, I am convinced that what emerges from the dialogue between the social partners will be the right solution," he added.

On May 4, Prime Minister François Bayrou pledged to present a "coherent plan, with clear, understandable proposals" to reduce France's deficits and debt, putting forward the idea of ​​a referendum to circumvent political deadlocks.

"It seems to me that if we look at ways and means of reaching a solution with all the stakeholders, it is undoubtedly the best solution, but consulting the French people is always a good idea, and once again, it is up to the President of the Republic to decide," declared Mr. Lombard.