► The detailed RN program
Jordan Bardella sketched Tuesday June 18 with the Parisian the main measures of its program to be carried out in the event of accession to power. He spoke in particular of the repeal of the pension reform “from autumn”. Jordan Bardella had until now been vague.
The president of the National Rally (RN) intends to implement a reduction in VAT on energy and fuel this summer (which would go from 20% to 5.5%), via a draft amending finance law during an extraordinary parliamentary session. But the leader postpones the abolition of VAT on essential products to “a second time”.
On the revenue side, Jordan Bardella suggests removing “tax loopholes”notably those on shipowners, and to reduce France’s contribution to the European Union budget by 2 billion euros.
He also intends to resurrect the minimum penalties for drugs and offenses against persons holding public authority, and reiterates his proposal to suspend family allowances for parents of repeat juvenile delinquents. The abolition of the soil tax and the replacement of state medical aid with an emergency fund which “will only cover vital emergencies” are also on the program.
The president of the RN also affirmed that he needed an absolute majority in the National Assembly to govern: ” person “ can’t believe “that we will be able to change the daily lives of the French with a relative majority”, he assured.
► Attal points to “a refusal of obstacles” at Bardella
Gabriel Attal showed up on Tuesday at Jordan Bardella a “refusal of obstacles” when the president of the RN asks for an absolute majority to govern. The Prime Minister also denounces a program which is only“approximations or denials”.
“We have seen for several days that, when it comes to Jordan Bardella, there are fewer and fewer programs and more and more conditions. It’s starting to look like obstacle refusal”the Prime Minister said on Franceinfo.
“It’s a big blur because they don’t want to show that their program could only be financed by tax increases”he assured, reiterating his camp’s commitment not to increase taxes.
► Former Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault supports the New Popular Front
Jean-Marc Ayrault, former prime minister of François Hollande, gave his support to the New Popular Front, citing the danger of the far right “at the gates of power”.
The former resident of Matignon, now president of the Foundation for the Memory of Slavery, denounced in a press release the dissolution of the National Assembly on the very evening of the European elections “I am struck by the casualness of this decision and the risks it poses to the country”he commented.
Despite being opposed to Nupes in 2022, Jean-Marc Ayrault announced that he would vote for a candidate from the new alliance of the left. “Disagreements, sometimes profound, remain. But the European election campaign led by Raphaël Glucksmann (PS-Place publique, Editor’s note) allowed for clarification” on “France’s European commitment, support for Ukraine” And “the fight against anti-Semitism”he said.
► “I guarantee freedom of expression to players,” says the president of the FFF
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo said he guaranteed “players have freedom of expression” on the subject of the next legislative elections, while ensuring the “neutrality” of the FFF.
“I have always said that I guarantee players freedom of expression”explained the leader during a press conference held in Paderborn (Germany) at the Blues’ Euro-2024 base camp. “But the associative principles of the FFF mean that you must avoid debates of a political and religious nature and ensure a principle of neutrality”he added.
The explanations from the boss of the FFF come after the recent public outings of Marcus Thuram and Kylian Mbappé. The first one called Saturday “to fight so that the RN does not pass” while the captain of the Blues positioned himself on Sunday “against extremes and divisive ideas”.
On Monday, it was Thierry Henry, former French football star and current coach of the French Olympic team, who took a position on the subject of the legislative elections by calling for “blocking extremes”.
► The PS wants “a vote” to choose the prime minister in the event of victory
In the event of victory, the New Popular Front will have to choose its prime minister by ” a vote “ newly elected deputies within it, Olivier Faure said on Tuesday on BFMTV.
“I don’t know any other way to arbitrate than by a vote,” explained the first secretary of the PS, while LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon had suggested that it be the most important group of a left-wing majority which proposes a name.
► The Paris Stock Exchange affected by political unrest
The Paris Stock Exchange was overtaken by that of London on Monday due to the political situation in France. London regains first place in Europe in terms of value of listed shares.
At the close of Monday, the total value of companies listed in London reached $3,178 billion compared to $3,136 billion for Paris, according to data from the Bloomberg agency.
Last week the flagship index of the Paris Stock Exchange, the CAC 40, lost more than 6%, erasing all its gains for the year, its worst weekly performance since March 2022 at the very beginning of the Russian invasion of ‘Ukraine.
► Dieudonné and Francis Lalanne candidates in Guadeloupe
Dieudonné and singer Francis Lalanne, disappointed European candidates, are running in the legislative elections on June 29 and July 6 in Guadeloupe, according to the list released Monday June 18 by the prefecture.
Comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala, convicted several times by the courts, notably for racial insults and incitement to hatred, is a candidate in the first constituency. He announced his candidacy in a video broadcast on Saturday where he addressed his “Afro-descendant brothers and sisters”.
The controversial comedian also announced the candidacy of Francis Lalanne, who appeared on the same list as him in the last European elections under the banner “Free France”. The singer, who is running in the third constituency, had also called to vote for Marine Le Pen in the second round of the presidential election in 2022.
► The PS nominates several candidates from the Liot group
The Socialist Party revealed Monday evening its final investitures for the anticipated legislative elections of June 30 and July 7, among which are several independents from Liot from the left, some of them however rejecting the label “New Popular Front”.
Of the 176 nominations presented by the Socialists, we find five deputies, from the left, who sat in this independent group in the National Assembly before it was dissolved: Jean-Louis Bricout (Aisne), Martine Froger (Ariège ), Laurent Panifous (Ariège), David Taupiac (Gers) and Benjamin Saint-Huile (North).
These constituencies were obtained “as part of the New Popular Front” as the Socialist Party specifies, but several of these deputies firmly reject this last label.
