Communities: the Senate votes for additional support

The Senate voted on Tuesday with the government's partial approval of additional support for communities affected in particular by the increase in energy prices and the rise in the index point for civil servants, bringing the total envelope to 750 million euros. euros.

The senators adopted several amendments in this direction to the draft rectified budget for 2022, examined at first reading.

The Assembly had already voted at the end of July, against the advice of the government, for 120 million euros to the departments in order to compensate for the 4% increase in the RSA they pay.

The right-wing dominated Senate validated the measure.

A "considerable effort"

And to compensate for the 3.5% increase in the index point for civil servants, the deputies had planned 180 million euros for the benefit of municipalities and intermunicipalities in difficulty, in a

fiercely negotiated

The senators wanted to go further, in a

They validated an amendment by the general rapporteur Jean-François Husson (LR) broadening the eligibility criteria for municipalities and raising the rate of compensation for energy expenditure and food expenditure for school canteens in particular.

Another amendment from the Centrist Union further increased the number of eligible municipalities.

which is done

, estimated the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, welcoming

“There is nothing like a miracle from heaven”

, noted for his part the boss of LR senators, Bruno Retailleau, stressing that

The Communists, however, opposed these amendments because they wanted to endow

The Chamber of Territories has also added full compensation to the regions for the 4% increase in the remuneration of vocational training trainees.

Mr. Le Maire tried in vain to target only the most financially fragile regions.

The rapporteur has estimated the total support for communities at 750 million euros, while the government did not initially offer compensation.