Yellow vests. 86 MEPs call for the return of the carbon tax

[Lunix I]

86 deputies publish on Wednesday a platform in the Figaro to ask the government to restore a tax "fair and readable". These members believe that the anger expressed against the measure is linked to a lack of fair redistribution of the tax levied, unlike countries like Canada, where this type of tax is perfectly accepted by the po[CENSORED]tion. The signatories hope to see this issue come back in the context of the Great National Debate.

This is the measure at the origin of this fluorescent yellow wave that the government still struggles to bail out: the increase in taxation on fuel prices. In a tribune published Wednesday by the Figaro, 86 deputies, from different political groups in the Assembly, asked the executive to consider the return of the carbon tax, in a "fair and readable".

According to the signatory parliamentarians, including Cédric Villani, Barbara Pompili, Joel Giraud and Matthieu Orphelin who left the LaRem group last week, this return must be part of "the debate started with citizens in the framework of the Great National Debate" . This measure was abandoned in December in a first effort - considered insufficient - the President of the Republic to calm the crisis of yellow vests.

More "than a pretext to make the French pay more and more"

The signatories of the tribune attempt to circumvent the highly political aspect of this taxation. "For us, carbon taxation is not a dogma, nor a political marker. It is, among other things, an effective tool for changing investment decisions, promoting virtuous behavior, giving an advantage to vehicles or boilers that consume little or no fossil fuels, and responding to the emergency climate change, "explains the text.

Members take British Columbia as an example: in this Canadian province, fuel taxation is accepted by citizens because the government redistributes 100% of the revenue in the form of aid to citizens or businesses in the energy transition. "Many citizens are convinced that the carbon tax is just an excuse to pay more and more French to increase public spending they no longer receive the benefits," note the 86 deputies.

"Promote virtuous behavior"

MEPs plead for "a new contract between the state, citizens, local authorities, environmental and consumer associations and trade unions" around a "fair" taxation, and also to listen to "ideas from the field" in the context of the great debate.

The carbon tax is "among others, an effective tool to change investment decisions, promote virtuous behavior, give an advantage to vehicles or boilers that consume little or no fossil fuels, and meet the needs of investors. 'climate emergency,' they add.