Is France an unreformable country, deeply conservative, that can only change policy or institutions through drama and revolution, or is France reformable provided the right approach is found?
Should we accept this pessimistic and fatalistic view rather than, on the contrary, seek new ways to unlock barriers and promote growth and employment?
Shouldn’t we debate in the realm of ideas with solid empirical studies to explain why structural reforms do not oppose stimulus policies but, on the contrary, support them, instead of limiting ourselves to ideological battles?
Regarding the method, isn’t it better, rather than listing all the reforms to be accomplished, to identify a limited number of priority barriers to break through?
For example: professional training (34 billion euros per year, which mainly finances training centers); overly complicated taxation that discourages risk-taking and innovation; the state structure (too many municipalities and intercommunal duplications, excessive stacking of administrative levels); a social insurance system with 38 pension funds, more than 100 health insurance funds.
And why not draw more inspiration from what works well elsewhere: define a strategy of fiscal and budgetary convergence, reduce the public deficit, while preserving universal access to quality public services (health, education…)?
The old left-right divide is gradually giving way to a divide between reformists and conservatives, between advocates of openness and advocates of isolationism. Wouldn’t it be better to acknowledge this evolution by systematically pushing for cross-party initiatives, mobilizing the intelligence and creativity of all those who, beyond their political differences, share the same desire to act?
A serious reform of the state should allow for the generation of new resources to finance the cost of reforms,
To be continued…
