French parliament to vote on purchasing power package

SAULIEU, France (AP) — French lawmakers are expected to approve a 20 billion-euro ($20.3-billion) package of measures meant to help struggling households cope with rising energy and food prices. Wednesday’s vote comes after a heated debate at the National Assembly, where President Emmanuel Macron no longer has a majority. The bill was a key promise from Macron, who was reelected for a second term in April. It was also a crucial test for the government’s ability to govern — and opposition forces’ ability to weigh on the law-making process. The so-called “emergency bill on purchasing power” is expected to be definitively approved Wednesday after the National Assembly and the Senate found an agreement on the text earlier this week.