The French far right promises to improve the economy if it comes to power

According to the head of the national organization, Jordan Bardella, if he is installed as prime minister, his priority will be to reduce the rate of value added for the benefit of citizens’ pockets, a message that touches a sensitive point in the population and to which the official failure in the European elections is largely attributed.

On June 9, the National Front party received 31.4% of the votes, more than double that achieved by the ruling Ennahda party and its allies (14.6), a scenario that prompted President Emmanuel Macron to dissolve the National Assembly and call legislative elections on June 30. June. The second round is scheduled to take place after a week.

The decision unleashed a race to reach an absolute majority in the Assembly, a competition between the ruling party and the two main opposition blocs, the far right and the left, which yesterday announced a popular front to compete together.

In statements to BFM TV, Bardella described the economic situation in France as catastrophic, as the arrival of the extreme right to Matignon (the Prime Minister’s residence) generates hope in an important sector, but raises rejection and a lot of anxiety in another sector. Relevant sector in areas such as environment, European policy and migration.

According to the leader of the Marine Le Pen-led force, once the economy is healthy and the “urgent issues” are resolved, he will implement the pension reform.

On April 15 last year, Macron issued an unpopular pension reform, which extended the retirement age from 62 to 64, an initiative denounced on the streets by a large trade union and social movement and in the parliamentary sphere.

With only 16 days remaining until the legislative elections, opinion polls give the preferred National Front party with a lead that does not seem decisive on the left, while the ruling party is far behind.

If the absolute majority in the National Assembly ultimately ends up in the hands of the opposition, Macron may have to accept an uncomfortable coexistence, namely the appointment of a prime minister from the extreme right (Bardella) or from the left, whose candidate position remains unknown.

Jha/Wamar