LE FIGARO – The government introduced this week its plan to redress public finances. The crisis of this summer did she raised awareness about the need to seize the arms at the waist?
Valerie PÉCRESSE – It has been four years since we conduct a rigorous, freezing state spending, by not replacing an employee on two retiring and controlling health care costs. Before the fall of Lehman Brothers in the summer of 2008, the government planned a deficit of 1.7% of GDP in 2009, a level which France would have reduced its debt! This proves that without the crisis, we would have deficits very limited. But in 2009, the deficit was actually 7.5% of GDP. The crisis changed everything (lower revenues, higher social spending, stimulus needed).When I hear the socialists say that two-thirds of the deficit comes from our economic policy decisions, I say that all European governments and the United States, as we faced the crisis and that the French debt increased less that on average our neighbors.
Do not you turn the austerity?
No. The austerity, it would have been to raise taxes for all the French, to lower the salaries of officials and social benefits. Our budget is a realistic budget that allows us to move forward on the path to debt reduction. By providing a deficit of 5.7% of GDP this year, 4.5% in 2012, 3% in 2013 and 2% in 2014, we have a credible path and we are taking another step. The rating agencies also believe, and for this we note that AAA.Now you will have noticed that we have revised down our growth forecasts for 2011 and 2012 to 1.75%. Take to achieve this trajectory despite the slowdown, it is necessary to make an additional $ 11 billion by the end of 2012. With Baroin, we proposed to the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister effort equitably, inspired by our social beliefs Gaullists. Everyone will be involved, but we will require more large companies and SMEs and more affluent households to the rest of the French.
How such a plan does not it weigh on growth?
We looked for the right mix of efforts to reduce deficits by protecting the jobs and growth. Because our policy is based on three pillars: the recovery of accounts and the debt that nurture confidence and thus growth.A historic investment in research and innovation through the research tax credit and investment for the future. And finally, structural reforms: pension reform, university autonomy, modernization of the state, etc.. All this increases the potential growth. It is these three pillars together that will allow France to emerge stronger from the crisis.
You announced a tax of 3% of earnings over 500,000 euros. Is this a level that you feel "extravagant"?
500,000 euros per person, a very high level of income. Between the tax on high incomes, higher payroll taxes on savings and the elimination of discounts on real estate gains, wealthier households will contribute a total of 3.7 billion.By raising taxes on savings, we compare the taxation of pa6trimoine that of labor income.
Of the 11 billion effort that you announce for 2012, corresponding to 10 billion tax increases. The State has happened after what he could do to reduce the expense?
No, because we will work with legislators to find additional savings of one billion next year. Through our reforms, we save 16 billion euros in government expenditure and for the first time since 1945 the payroll of the state will drop in 2012 because we have eliminated 150,000 jobs between 2007 and 2012 public. We need to continue structural reforms to go further: education, competitiveness and taxation, etc..The debate comes as part of the presidential election.
Should we expect new measures in the draft budget law in 2012 that you will present at the end of September?
The measures are on the table. The debate will engage with parliamentarians. I will be attentive to their proposals.
With the plan that you announced and the path of deficit that results, do you still need a "golden rule"?
It is always easier to meet its commitments when there are rules. We held the non-replacement of an official two retiring or freezing in the value of departmental spending, because we set the rules. The "golden rule" would protect the French of all political uncertainties. It is a seat belt. Remember that we are entering an election campaign, when all the promises reckless.If the Socialist Party wants to do, at least he will have to put the revenue required in the face. Empower the Constitutional Council to reject a budget that does not respect the commitments is a very important step. By refusing the helping hand of government on the "golden rule", the French Socialists isolate themselves from their European counterparts rather than inspiration.
After Germany, the UK signed an agreement with Switzerland that allows Brits having an undeclared account in Switzerland to remain anonymous while putting himself in good standing with the IRS. The Swiss bank levies a tax on the account, then tax it pays to the British state without giving names.France, she will follow this example?
We will study this question by examining the agreements signed by Germany and the UK to see if they are compatible with our republican principles: such agreements should allow for example the lifting of secrecy in Switzerland, when requested by a French judge. Our principles are not negotiable.