French people are offered to work one day a year for free
22 November 2024 08:43
The French Senate (the upper house of parliament) has approved the idea of introducing a mandatory additional working day per year without pay, which should become part of the new budget for 2025. According to estimates, this will allow the state to collect 2.5 billion euros in additional revenues, reports "Komersant Ukrainian" reports with reference to Reuters.
Why is this necessary?
The government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier is under intense pressure due to a split in parliament and financial difficulties. At the same time, the far right, led by Marine Le Pen, is threatening the government with a vote of no confidence. In the face of a tight budget and rising public spending, it became necessary to find non-standard sources of funding.
The proposal was made by center-right senator Elisabeth Duino. The idea is that employees should work an additional seven hours during the year, which will not be paid, but employers should pay social contributions for this time.
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Controversy over the idea
This initiative is controversial. Earlier, an alternative was considered – the abolition of one of the public holidays, but parliamentarians did not agree on which holiday to eliminate. It is worth reminding that in 2005, France already revoked the status of the public holiday of Pentecost to improve the financing of the healthcare system.
French employers are concerned because even without this initiative, labor costs in the country are among the highest in Europe. Reducing tax credits for social security contributions for low-income workers will further complicate the situation.
How society is reacting
The proposed budget includes tough austerity measures, including €60 billion in spending cuts and tax increases for wealthy individuals and large corporations. Nevertheless, the budget is facing harsh criticism, and the business community is concerned about possible cost increases. The government is still willing to discuss alternatives to reduce the burden on employers.
This initiative, while aimed at stabilizing the economy, could become a catalyst for social protests in a country that is known for its large-scale demonstrations against government decisions.
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