The National Assembly's budget rapporteur, Philippe Juvin, has said he is "not hostile" to a reduction in the general social contribution (CSG), believing that it is now necessary to "give net salaries some breathing space." In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, the Les Républicains MP for Hauts-de-Seine, however, called for "understanding how to compensate for the loss of revenue," while pointing out that "our room for maneuver is more in expenditure than in revenue."
Philippe Juvin considers the planned reduction in state spending (around €6 billion) "insufficient." He proposes going further, notably by revising state medical aid and reducing the number of civil servants. "Given the declining birth rate, we can eliminate 50,000 positions in the National Education system by 2032," he suggests. He also advocates strict control of debt and reiterates that "the objective of a deficit of less than 3% by 2029 must absolutely be met."
Targeted savings and a call for austerity
The LR MP opposes any suspension of pension reform, which he considers "structural" for France's credibility. "Abandoning this reform would be a major mistake," he asserts. At the same time, he criticizes the decision to abandon Article 49.3, believing that "to discard this constitutional tool is to deprive ourselves of a lever that has allowed us to adopt budgets in recent years."
In the midst of a government crisis, Philippe Juvin is establishing himself as a pragmatic voice on the right. He advocates the idea of a "compromise budget," built through discussions with the various political groups. "I met with the leaders one by one to find a consensus," he explains, emphasizing that "it's better to participate in building the budget than to pave the way for the left."
For him, the priority is clear: "submit a budget before December 31." Beyond that date, he warns, "it will be technically impossible." A warning that sounds like an ultimatum to Sébastien Lecornu's new government.
