The draft budget presented yesterday by Thierry Breton is important in many ways. First because that, and even if all of the measures was already known, it is the main lever of economic policy of a Government. Then, of course, because it is the last of the quinquennium of Jacques Chirac and Dominique de Villepin, challenger disappointed of Nicolas Sarkozy to the right, clearly intended leave a trace in showing that this is possible without waiting for the "France from". But it is especially important because the copy is ultimately quite serious. After the botched appointment of the 2006 budget very below the cry of alarm launched by the report Pébereau, clear signals are sent: deficits and debt are receding, the expenses are corseted for the fourth consecutive year and the decline in the number of staff is the most ambitious long.
It is so much better, and is facing since everyone knows that this budget not survive in the next spring, as always after each important election deadline: If the left WINS, it will correct it with its own priorities. and Nicolas Sarkozy does not hide that it will do the same. In a climate of growth and falling unemployment, is therefore a finance law project which has to be welcomed, and even more that the Government was clever enough to make vote its reform of the tax on income from last year. If it weighs on the deficit, it is naturally designed to seduce wealthy and middle classes. It also has the advantage of display French rates at European level and to limit the perverse effects of the ISF with the tax shield.

But why not say If it expands the look, it is blurring. Because, on the duration of the legislature and the whole of economic policy, the results are less net. This is true for public expenditure taken as a whole: they will be higher next year, reported GDP (52.9), that five years ago. The trend is the same for debt left, yet free no reproach, the pounding forever , whereas the compulsory levies are stable, or even increase. This year, they are same 44, more than our neighbors. Remember: in 2002, the majority promised a down nearly two points.
No doubt the responsibility softer than expected growth and the thrust of local and social spending which appear, for the latter, difficult to contain. However, it is also certain that the State did not go as far as he could. A National Education: it is not a coincidence if Matignon keep under the elbow auditing on the working time for teachers, which should show that their situation is more favourable than elsewhere; at Bercy also, but student applied: How can we understand that the computer and the Internet revolution has enabled to reduce staff only 4 all these years More "plane", is to reform it, until the massive departures in retirement window closes. The reform of the State, a theme for the moment very absent from the campaign projects.