The extract is creating a buzz on social networks. We see the president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, during his press conference this Monday during which he presented his program for the legislative elections.
In the extract, lasting around twenty seconds, we hear a journalist ask Jordan Bardella “where do you find your 7 billion?” “. To which the leader of the far-right party responds: “For? “. “Finance your VAT measure,” the journalist then specifies. There then follows a silence of around ten seconds, at the end of which we hear Jordan Bardella say “Okay, uhhhh”, suggesting that he would be in difficulty with this question.
The extract was shared by numerous accounts and viewed in total several million times on several social networks, such as X (Twitter) or Instagram. The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, himself reshared it on Essonne, Marie Guévenoux.
FAKE OFF
This excerpt is truncated and does not capture Jordan Bardella’s real response. The passage in question takes place at the end of the press conference, the replay of which is available online, as here on the YouTube channel of the RN candidate.
The question asked by the journalist, in addition to being the last of the press conference, is the last in a series of questions asked by other journalists. In the excerpt in question as during the rest of the conference, Jordan Bardella takes time to note the different questions, then answers them in order.
The journalist’s question concerns the financing of a measure planned in the RN program: the reduction in VAT on all energy products, which would go from 20% to 5.5%. The cost of this measure is estimated by the MEP at 7 billion euros by the end of 2024.
To find the answer to the journalist’s question (viewable here), you have to look for it a little later, that is to say after Jordan Bardella has answered the journalists’ previous questions. The political leader then details the financing of his measure: “1.2 billion on the shipowner niche, 2 billion on the contribution to the European Union budget, the increase in the contribution on intramarginal rents [ « inFramarginales », en réalité] : 3 billions. »
The calculations are not good
The “shipowner niche” is a tax advantage enjoyed by maritime freight companies that the RN, as well as the New Popular Front, want to eliminate. The RN also plans to lower France’s participation in the EU budget. Contributions on inframarginal rents are a tax intended for electricity producers.
We will notice that by adding the savings listed by Jordan Bardella, we arrive at 6.2 billion, and not the 7 billion announced. Previously questioned about the encryption of his program, the president of the RN assured that these measures “will be, gradually, encrypted and worked on”.
