2025 Budget: Michel Barnier delays presentation to the National Assembly until October 9
As part of the preparations for the 2025 budget, Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced that he would send the ceiling letters to MPs "during the day". This decision comes as Matignon plans to submit the budget to the National Assembly on October 9, thus postponing the initial date of October 1.
Eric Coquerel, LFI-NFP MP and chairman of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, had threatened to go directly to Matignon to obtain the ceiling letters, which define the credits allocated to each ministry. According to sources close to Barnier, discussions took place with Coquerel, leading to this commitment to quickly transmit the budget documents.
Michel Barnier also plans to present his draft budget to the National Assembly on October 9, instead of October 1, in order to better prepare his general policy statement scheduled for early October. This reorganization of the budget calendar reflects the government's efforts to meet the requirements of transparency and dialogue with elected representatives.
Eric Coquerel expressed his impatience regarding the receipt of the ceiling letters. "We need to have these ceiling letters," he insisted, stressing the importance of having these documents for an in-depth analysis of the budget. Failing to receive them within the legal deadline, Coquerel and his colleague Charles de Courson (Liot) plan to go to Matignon next Tuesday to obtain the necessary information.
The Prime Minister assures that the ceiling letters have been sent, but acknowledges that their availability remains problematic. "Normally, there is an organic law that establishes that we have the budget documents by the end of July. However, these documents have been sent, but we cannot have them," he declared.
This situation highlights the tensions between the government and the National Assembly regarding the management and transparency of budget documents. While the budget calendar is being adjusted, attention remains focused on the government's ability to provide the information needed for an effective and informed parliamentary discussion.
