The Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, convened the government at Matignon on September 23, 2024. In an interview with La Tribune, published on October 5, Barnier hinted that the laws for budget increases in various sectors such as the military, police, and justice, will be revised and possibly corrected due to a significant deficit. Ministers and elected officials have expressed concerns about preserving these budgets, with some highlighting the delays in projects promised under the current laws of programming. The laws of programming sectorial are crucial as they set the state’s spending evolution over several years in specific areas, offering a longer-term perspective than annual budget exercises.
Several missions covered by laws of programming include defense, development aid, ecology, justice, and security, with potential additions such as agriculture, energy, and climate. By 2027, around 31% of state expenditure is expected to be safeguarded by these laws. The military programming laws, for example, stipulate a doubling of the defense budget from 2017 to 2030. However, the rigidity of committing such significant amounts in advance limits flexibility in other areas of the budget, such as social expenditure. This has caused concerns over the impact on reducing the public deficit and the challenges in meeting the programmed expenses.
The laws of programming have been a subject of debate as they constrain the allocation of resources and impose stricter limits on spending if deficits are to be reduced. Pierre Moscovici, the first president of the Court of Auditors, has expressed alarm over the constraints imposed by the multi-year laws, particularly on social expenditure. Despite their intention to provide a longer-term horizon for public action, these laws have contributed significantly to the increase in state spending, making it challenging to absorb all the proposed expenses. As a result, there are discussions on the need to review and possibly adjust some of these programming laws to address the deficit issue.
Ministers and elected representatives are advocating for the preservation of programmed budgets in various sectors, emphasizing the importance of honoring commitments made under the current laws of programming. However, the challenging economic situation has raised doubts about the feasibility of implementing all planned projects within the allocated budgets. Some MPs have expressed concerns about delays in carrying out specific initiatives promised under the laws of programming, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and adaptation to ensure effective budget management. This situation underscores the complexity of balancing long-term planning with the need for flexibility in adjusting to changing economic conditions.
Despite the benefits of laws of programming in ensuring a more structured and informed approach to budget planning, concerns have been raised about the implications of committing significant amounts of resources in advance. The rigidity of these laws limits the government’s ability to adjust spending priorities based on current needs and economic conditions, raising challenges in meeting deficit reduction targets. As the deficit issue becomes more pressing, there is a growing recognition of the need to review and potentially revise the existing laws of programming to strike a balance between long-term planning and flexibility in budget management. Such a review process may involve reevaluating budget allocations and priorities to ensure sustainable and effective fiscal management.
