CSG: the majority votes the move for 350,000 pensioners but does not go further

Paris – Given the pain, poorly accepted by public opinion, the rise of the CSG focuses criticism, even in the ranks of the majority, who voted Thursday evening in the Assembly a gesture in favor of 350,000 retirement homes but did not go further.

Earlier, the head of LREM deputies Gilles Le Gendre had warned that the proposal of some members of his group to modulate for pensioners the generalized social contribution (tax that finances social protection) according to their income was "a political mistake"and"a form of betrayalof the presidential program.

Key measure of the first budget of the Macron era presented in 2017, the 1.7 point rise in the normal CSG rate, increased since January to 8.2% for all income categories (wages, pensions, capital income ) always goes wrong, however.

Intended to allow the abolition of sickness and unemployment contributions of private employees in order toreward the work", the measure remains a privileged target of criticism of the right and the left.

In the face of anger and protests over the past year, the government has planned tocorrect"its feature in the 2019 budget of the Social Security, considered in the Assembly at first reading, exempting from the rise 350,000 households of modest pensioners, for a cost of 350 million euros.Presidents gave Thursday evening their fire green to this extent of "smooth".

Secretary of State Olivier Dussopt recalled "the commitment made by the Prime Minister"on this subject, initially in favor of 100,000 households.

In a stormy climate, however, the Assembly rejected Republican and Communist amendments to lower the CSG rate by 1.7 percentage points and return to the "major political error"from the beginning of the quinquennium according to them.

"You lost the battle of purchasing power", launched Eric Woerth (LR), while Mr. Le Gendre criticized him as"waving the CSG for 18 months as a child his blanket".

The same goes for the socialist proposal to apply the increase in CSG only to pensions over 3,000 euros a month for a single person.

– "Cosmetic"-

The question of the purchasing power of retirees is all the more sensitive as the government decided to limit to 0.3% the revaluation of pensions and social benefits in 2019 and 2020, well below inflation.

"It's double punishment", judged Alain Bruneel (PCF), dubious about"the cosmetic layout"from the government in favor of 350,000 homes.

The hardest blow came from the inside of the majority, where Jean-François Cesarini defended an amendment, co-signed by 31 LREM colleagues, for progressivity of the CSG in order to contribute the least modest, and more the more easy.

This measure was validated last week in committee with voices from all sides, but against the advice of the rapporteur and LREM head Thomas Mesnier.

"We are in full coherence with the program of the President of the Republic, with a little more social justice"said Cesarini, elected from Vaucluse on Thursday night, who rejects any slingshot, but the LREM deputies, who came in large numbers, rejected his proposal.

Another amendment co-signed by 16 "walkers"and carried by Frederic Barbier (ex-PS), to predict a low rate of CSG for income between 1,200 and 1,600 euros, was not more luck."It's expected on the ground", argued in vain the member of Doubs.

"We do not whistle or bad"within the majority group but"I told my two colleagues, they make a mistake", commented Mr. Le Gendre.

The general rapporteur Olivier Véran (LREM) put forward the "remains at zero charge"or the extension of the complementary universal health cover (CMU-C), in this same budget of the Secu, as participant of a"form of redistribution policy among pensioners".

The tone has risen several times with oppositions, Boris Vallaud (PS) lambasting a "duplicity"Emmanuel Macron in the"fight against inequalities", and François Ruffin (LFI) pointing a"arrogance"Macronistes Pierre Dharreville (PCF) warned them:"The real, you will be forced to confront you".