The French government is set to examine the Social Security budget amid ongoing debates about civil service absenteeism. Starting Monday, MPs will review the social security financing bill, which includes a significant increase of 18 billion euros in spending for 2025. This comes after the finance bill discussions were interrupted last week, and over 2,200 amendments have been proposed for the new budget.
A controversial proposal to increase the waiting period for sick leave in the civil service from one to three days has sparked outrage among left-wing politicians. The Minister of Civil Service, Guillaume Kasbarian, aims to align public sector rules with those in the private sector, potentially saving around 1.2 billion euros. Critics argue that this measure unfairly penalizes civil servants who are genuinely ill, with Manuel Bompard from France Insoumise calling it 'scandalous.'
In Georgia, the pro-Russian party Georgian Dream has won parliamentary elections, prompting concerns from the EU and the US regarding the fairness of the electoral process. The Prime Minister has reiterated the government's commitment to EU integration despite the contentious election results.
