Following President Emmanuel Macron's unexpected decision to call for a parliamentary election, France's political parties have been in a rush to form alliances, resulting in a reshaped political landscape divided into three major blocs. This overview covers the campaign promises made by the far-right National Rally, the left-wing New Popular Front, and Macron's centrist alliance 'Together' ahead of the second voting round on Sunday.
The far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, is projected to secure the most seats in the National Assembly, although it may not achieve an absolute majority. The party has partnered with Eric Ciotti, formerly of the conservative Republicans, who lost support from his party due to his alliance with the far right. The National Rally has promised to:
* Reduce taxes on gas, petrol, and oil to boost household spending
* Revert the increase in the retirement age from 64 to 62, though it has scaled back a previous commitment to lower it further to 60 due to budget limitations
* Exit the EU's joint electricity market to offer cheaper national power prices
* Enhance public health services in rural areas
* Strengthen penalties for drug offenses and assaults on police officers
* Curtail welfare benefits for families of repeat juvenile offenders
* Decrease immigration, ease rules for deporting undocumented migrants, and limit family reunifications
* Criminalize staying in France without a residence permit
The left-wing parties, ranging from the moderate Socialists and Greens to the more radical Communists and Jean-Luc Mélenchon's 'France Unbowed', have formed a 'New Popular Front'. The left-wing bloc has committed to:
* Limit the prices of essential goods such as fuel and food
* Increase the minimum wage to 1,600 euros net per month
* Raise salaries for public sector employees
* Implement a wealth tax and reform inheritance tax
* Stop new motorway construction projects
* Enact measures to combat water waste
* Abandon Macron's pension reform and advocate for a 'right to retire' at 60
* End 'austerity' under EU budget rules
* Reform Europe's common agricultural policies
In the political center, Macron has called on moderate parties to join his electoral alliance against the political extremes of right and left, with limited success thus far. The president, who has cautioned about the risk of 'civil war', positions his camp as the ultimate bastion of stability. Macron's centrist bloc has vowed to:
* Suspend the reform of France's unemployment insurance to toughen welfare benefit rules
* Continue job creation through business-friendly policies
* Avoid tax increases for households
* Tie pensions to inflation and safeguard purchasing power
* Reduce employer charges to facilitate wage increases for low-income workers
* Establish affordable additional health insurance for those in need
* Manage the country's budget deficit and prevent excessive spending
* Address juvenile delinquency more decisively