Energy shield: the Senate votes for targeted aid for electricity

As part of the finance bill for 2024, senators overwhelmingly supported this mechanism, which could save public finances more than a billion euros according to their estimates.

The adopted amendment plans to put an end to the “price shield”, launched in the fall of 2021 by the government to limit (but not eliminate) increases in electricity prices. In compensation, senators plan to help the lowest-income households with an energy check targeted at the six lowest income deciles.

For the richest families, the bill would therefore risk increasing more than for the middle classes.

“We must send a message of accountability” to the wealthiest, justified the general rapporteur Jean-François Husson (Les Républicains).

The government, which wishes to gradually exit the "tariff shield" - this is already the case for gas, since July - has given an unfavorable opinion to this measure, judging it "extremely expensive" according to the Minister of Public Accounts Thomas Cazenave .

“It is more reasonable to gradually increase taxation,” he added, predicting a 20% increase in the bill with this mechanism, while the government is committed to ensuring that it does not exceed the 10% in February 2024.

Thanks to article 49.3 of the Constitution activated by the executive in the National Assembly on this draft budget, the presidential camp will ultimately be able to reject this measure.

In recent days, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire had nevertheless been open to this senatorial proposal, which received the approval of the right, the center and environmentalists.

“We are ready to take up” this “good proposal”, provided that “rates do not increase by more than 10% in February 2024”, he said.

“The minister said that the proposal was good, useful, interesting and justified. Are you saying that it is bad, useless, uninteresting and unjustified? It’s a shame,” Mr. Husson said indignantly to Thomas Cazenave.

“Your system is not at all protective of the most vulnerable households,” added Senator Christine Lavarde (LR). “Our position is much more balanced,” replied the Minister of Public Accounts.