French Prime Minister Michel Barnier took center stage 🗣️ at the National Assembly on Tuesday, delivering a marathon 1.5-hour speech that laid out his government's game-changing priorities. From cutting the public deficit 📉 to shaking up immigration policies 🌍, Barnier's got some big plans for France!
First up, the economy 💰. Barnier is aiming to reduce France's public deficit from a whopping 6% of GDP this year down to 5% by 2025, and even further to 3% by 2029. How? By slashing public spending and introducing a more \"effective\" spending scheme. Sounds ambitious, right?
But that's not all! He's calling on big corporations making huge profits to chip in more 💸—but don't worry, he promises this won't hurt France's competitiveness. Plus, the wealthiest citizens might see an \"exceptional contribution\" coming their way. Time to share the love 💎!
On the heels of a tragic incident involving a young student and an illegal immigrant, Barnier acknowledged that France's migration policies need a serious overhaul 🚨. He's proposing tighter visa rules for countries that don't cooperate in repatriating their nationals, and wants to extend detention periods for undocumented migrants awaiting deportation. It's all about making the system more efficient 🛠️.
Barnier didn't stop there. He also touched on energy ⚡, housing 🏠, and hinted at possible further reforms to the retirement system 🧓. Talk about a full agenda!
Facing a deeply divided lower house, Barnier pledged a \"new method\" of governance rooted in \"listening, respect and dialogue.\" He urged the opposition to embrace \"the culture of compromise\" as a guiding principle. After all, teamwork makes the dream work 🤝.
With no absolute majority in the National Assembly, Barnier's call for unity might just be the key to moving France forward. Stay tuned, folks—France's future is unfolding right before our eyes 📺.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
