Superprofits: in France, taxing has become a dirty word

Dogma to stubbornness. By refusing in recent months to want to tax superprofits, Emmanuel Macron had locked himself in a position that had become untenable. Portugal, Spain, Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, and even Germany having in turn declared themselves in favor of an exceptional tax, it became impossible to do nothing. Hence the shift initiated on Monday evening by the President of the Republic, who rallied to the German position: the establishment “a European contribution requested from energy operators (electricity and gas)”. The subsidies recovered can then be donated to the States “to finance targeted national measures”.

Superprofits: a European puzzle

By placing the debate at European level, while carefully avoiding talk of a tax, the Head of State hopes to do a double blow: respond to the misunderstanding that is rising in public opinion, but also to circumscribe the fire that is smoldering. to its own majority. Because, if his Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has never completely closed the door to an exceptional tax, Bruno Le Maire, he has always stubbornly refused, and still refuses.

Spectacular enrichment

In doing so, the Minister of the Economy remains faithful to his liberal convictions. Since 2017, in Bercy, ” tax » has indeed become a “swear word ». And it’s not just about semantics. During the first five-year term, the government never ceased to alleviate the im