Bills against social and tax fraud were adopted in the Senate

Sébastien Lecornu’s government made the draft law a priority this fall, and wants to link its discussions to the State budget and Social Security. The text is now sent to the National Assembly.

On Tuesday, November 18, the Senate passed a bill to combat social and tax fraud, a government plan strengthened by the right of senators. The upper house, dominated by an alliance of Republicans and centrists, voted 239 to 32 in a solemn vote. The text is now sent to the National Assembly.

Sébastien Lecornu’s government made the draft law a priority this fall, and wants to link its discussions to the State budget and Social Security. “This is a subject that can lead to compromise,” Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin urged, wanting to believe that such an arrangement would occur “useful and necessary for the broader compromises we must find in the budget”.

The executive hopes to obtain more than two billion euros from this anti-fraud plan by 2026, using various tools applied in two areas: tax fraud and social fraud. This text establishes new ways to detect fraud, provides stronger sanctions and obligations for companies and other benefit recipients, and improves information sharing within government.

“The measures we propose will not save anyone, neither the companies carrying out hidden work, nor the recipients of undue social benefits, nor the health professionals who commit fraud”said Senator LR Frédérique Puissat.

Meanwhile, left-wing groups criticized the text’s philosophy, deploring the social aspects which according to the text were prioritized over fiscal aspects. Some actions are specifically targeted. This occurs in the new investigative means offered to France Travail to detect the place of residence of beneficiaries – for example through telephone records -, or the possibility of suspending third-party payments for policyholders proven to have committed fraud.

“Stigmatization of the poor on the one hand and protection of the richest groups on the other”socialist node Jean-Luc Fichet, punished a “indecent disproportion”. “This text fuels discourse from right-wing groups that use precarious workers as scapegoats for difficulties they did not create.”regrets the communist Pascal Savoldelli. PS abstained, while communists and ecologists opposed.