French economy

[ajm]

It's not surprising that that France has a huge financial problem with all the benefits, subsides,and reduced transport fares. Tax relief on charitable donations is at 66% (UK is 25%) which to my mind is crazy. The golf club is asking for donations which also qualify for tax relief at the same level. Since when has a private members club been a charity? Stupid!!

[RobertArthur]

Not a golf club the EDF and the others. What about EDF and GDF employees and retirees in France receiving up to a ~90% to 95% reduction on their electricity and gas bills through the historic "tarif agent" (or Avantage en Nature Énergie), established in 1946 under the Industries Électriques et Gazières (IEG) statute. How long can this go on....

OECD Economic Survey of France 2026, published in June this year. Not beyond a paywall this abstract.

[MAD87]

And any real aides wll be reduced by the actions of Jilly Jones and their buddies.

[Blaze]

I think it's high time they abolished some of the ridiculous privileges for life enjoyed by former ministers, presidents and goodness knows who else.
The classic example is Edith Cresson who was Prime Minister from 1991 to 1992, less than a year. She's kept a works car and chauffeur since then, no justification necessary. Sebastien Lecornu has just changed the privilege for life to 10 years (I suppose he didn't dare risk cutting it out altogether). Just imagine how many others are benefitting from the same privilege and just how much it costs. Not sure about the secretarial assistance that she's enjoyed all these years.

Don't forget that former Presidents are on full salary for life too : Sarkozy and Holland are still young so they will cost the country a fortune. They will be followed before too long by Macron, and he's vey much a chicken.

Why the people don't manifest against these unjustifiable costs is beyond me. I can't imagine anyone except the beneficiaries beingh in agreement with it.

[Hotrodder]

Anyone care to mention what sort of pension an ex prime minister of UK gets? Liz Truss for example?

[Blaze]

@Hotrodder A former PM's pension in the UK is a different thing altogether. On the subject of the French economy, I'm talking about former politicians on a full salary and perks FOR LIFE !!!
Why the French aren't jumping up and down about it, I have no idea.

[ajm]

Does it translate? Les groins dans le creux

[exile]

Pension? Complicated, and you have to understand the parliamentary pension scheme, which like many work based systems depends on parliamentary salary(they contribute 11% salary) and length of service - not just as PM but throughout their service or perhaps disservice.

However she is entitled to claim up to around £115,000 pa as office expenses for life. So far she has claimed around 100k per year. I assume expenses are audited so have to be supported costs, but creative accounting will cover a lot of day to day costs.