LR debate: the economic proposals of the five candidates – BFM Business

This Sunday, BFMTV will broadcast the second debate of the five candidates for the LR primary. Zoom on their economic proposals.

What economic trajectory for France? While BFMTV broadcasts this Sunday the second of the four debates between the candidates Les Républicains, here is an overview of the five eco programs.

>>> Michel Barnier: single social assistance, retirement at 65 and increased working hours

Its flagship measure is the replacement of all social aid for those who can work with a single aid “which always pays less than work”. Aid under conditions since its beneficiary must “be available full time to carry out activities useful to the community or in business, to train in order to quickly resume a job and accept a job where there are vacant jobs.”

Likewise, Michel Barnier does not want “any more stowaways in our social system” by systematically removing allowances after two refusals of reasonable job offers.

On the work side, Michel Barnier is in favor of lowering the retirement age to 65 and proposes an increase in working time in the public as well as in the private sector.

And also :

• Opening of apprenticeship from the age of 14 and aim to train 800,000 apprentices per year
• Decrease in social contributions
• Abolition of charges on the first job of young people for the first 3 years

>>> Xavier Bertrand: lower production taxes, work premium and retirement at 64

Its flagship measure is a work premium so that each full-time employee earns by the end of 2022 “at least 1,500 euros net per month”. It will concern all employees who earn up to 2000 euros net per month but will be degressive according to income.

This measure, which would therefore concern half of French employees, would have a significant cost for the state coffers: 15 billion euros per year, or 5 billion more than the activity premium. But the candidate also promises to deleverage France to finance the measure, without specifying how to obtain revenue.

It is nevertheless counting on major structural reforms such as the postponement of the legal retirement age to 64 by 2030 (while wishing to make the conditions for granting unemployment benefit stricter) as well as on a shock administrative simplification in the territories.

And also :

• 50% reduction in production taxes
• Commitment of the biometric vital cards project to prevent fraud
• Increase working time in the public service to ultimately reduce the number of positions

>>> Eric Ciotti: flat tax at 15%, end of tax loopholes and retirement at 65

Its flagship measure is the replacement of income tax by a 15% flat tax. Clearly, it is about putting an end to the principle of the progressive nature of the tax with a single rate for everyone. “We can no longer stay in a system where 10% of people pay 70% of the tax”, explain to Figaro MP LR. The measure could be accompanied by an exemption for households earning less or the equivalent of two minimum wage. At the same time, Eric Ciotti wants to remove “the 190 tax loopholes which cost the state 35 billion euros per year” in order to finance this new tax system.

In addition, the candidate proposes the abolition of inheritance and direct line gift tax, reinforced by the exemption from gift tax of up to 150,000 euros between grandparents and grandchildren.

On work, Eric Ciotti wants the legal retirement age to be lowered to 65.

But also :

• Relocation of strategic activities to France
• Lower charges on businesses
• Lower production taxes

>>> Philippe Juvin: retirement at 65, reduced VAT for products made in France and new territorial distribution of the civil service

Its flagship measure is a pension reform with the introduction of a dose of funding at the heart of our pay-as-you-go system. “We have a system that impoverishes pensions, those who contribute and the country”, he emphasizes on South Radio. He also advocates a postponement of the legal retirement age to 65 by 2030.

On the other hand, the professor of medicine is opposed to the decrease in the number of civil servants but proposes a new territorial distribution of the civil service, more in contact with the population.

And also:

• Lower production taxes
• Increase in the working hours of civil servants
• VAT divided by two for products produced entirely in France

>>> Valérie Pécresse: 10% increase in net salary, elimination of 150,000 civil servant positions and retirement at 65

Its flagship measure is the 10% increase in net salary (excluding inflation) within 5 years. To achieve this, it relies on several levers: it also proposes that the old-age contribution on salaries up to 2.2 Smic (8.3% of their net salary) be paid by the State and no longer by employees who would therefore automatically see their income increase.

Likewise, it intends to take advantage of “give / take” devices (lower costs, lower production taxes, flexible working hours) to encourage companies to increase salaries, during annual national salary conferences.

To finance her program, the candidate intends to “fight against social and fiscal fraud” and “redeploy tax revenues”. Above all, it proposes to reduce public spending.

Reducing public spending requires the elimination of 150,000 civil servant positions in 5 years, but also the disposal of all minority holdings of the State-shareholder for a profit estimated at 15 billion euros by 2025.

On labor issues, Valérie Pécresse wishes to strengthen the degression of unemployment benefits (after six months for employees under 50 paid more than 2 minimum wage) to encourage them to return to work or training earlier. Above all, she wants to postpone the legal retirement age to 65.

And also:

• Tax exemption for alimony
• Minimum old age at minimum wage
• Establishment for non-European foreigners of a period of five years of legal residence in France to receive social benefits
• Tax exemption for donations every six years, up to 100,000 euros from grandparents and parents