EDF: opposition is united against “dismantling” to great anger of government and majority

Opposition deputies have also adopted the extension of the price shield for very small businesses which, to date, do not benefit from a regulated electricity rate.

by Marjorie Cessac

A few months ago, such a scenario seemed to be not very possible. But political arrangements and circumstances sometimes give rise to improbable reversals. Thursday, February 9, opposition deputies united against the presidential majority to adopt, at first reading, a bill aimed at nationalizing the electrician EDF but without risk of “dismantling”.

carried by the socialist group, and more particularly by the deputy of the Eure Philippe Brun, this proposal went smoothly, with 205 votes against 1, thanks to the departure of the deputies of the majority. Raised, the latter ended up leaving the hemicycle after having hardly scrapped against one of the articles, concerning the extension of the price shield, considering it not in accordance with the Constitution.

With this victory, the opposition hopes to bring back the debate on this nationalization to the Parliament. “Bercy will no longer have their hands free. The future of EDF will now be discussed before the National Assembly,” detailed the ecologist of Indre-et-Loire Charles Fournier. Conversely, the government has chosen to go through the scholarship in order to acquire the 100 % of the group’s capital of which it already has almost 96 %.

“This bill is useless”

Announced this summer by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, this OPA would undoubtedly have been already finalized if the minority shareholders, unhappy with the action price (12 euros), had not initiated several appeals against her. At this stage, the operation is still suspended from a decision of the Paris Court of Appeal, which should not take place before May.

“This bill is useless, it arrives at a setback,” tried to assert the Minister of Industry, Roland Lescure, fearing that the adoption of the text would weigh “a risk to the energy ecosystem “. He thus underlined the concern of RTE, the manager of the public electricity transport network, owned at almost 50 % by the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignation and CNP Assurances, and who, if he had remained completely in the fold D’EDF, probably could not have achieved its scenarios in terms of energy transition in such a credible way. “In recent years, EDF has remained united,” he added, adding that the group had sold certain parts of its activity, however. Like Dalkia Wastenergy whom she gave in to Paprec, a group specializing in waste management. “If the bill had passed at that time, it would have caused the risk to this winning operation for EDF,” he said.

You have 55.71% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.

/Media reports cited above.