Lucie Castets, the candidate for Prime Minister for the New Popular Front (NFP), stated in an interview with La Tribune that her main goal is not to adhere to the European Stability Pact, which limits the public deficit to 3%. She believes that the pact was poorly renegotiated and that France will propose a new discussion on the matter. Additionally, if she were to become Prime Minister, Castets aims to launch a major fiscal reform. France was placed under excessive public deficit procedure by the European Commission after revealing a deficit of 5.5% of the GDP in 2023, a first since the suspension of budgetary rules in 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis.
Castets announced her intention to generate tax and social revenues equivalent to 150 billion euros by 2027 in order to finance their program and reduce the deficit. In the event she becomes Prime Minister, she plans to implement a significant fiscal reform focusing on the progressivity of income tax, which will increase to fourteen brackets as outlined in the left-wing coalition’s legislative program. This reform is expected to result in a tax decrease for a significant portion of households. Castets also aims to ensure that tax exiles pay their taxes to the French tax authorities like American expatriates do to the IRS. She also advocates for an expansion of wealth taxation and the reinstatement of the wealth tax.
Regarding businesses, Castets proposes the elimination of costly measures such as excessive cuts in contributions. Despite her candidacy for Prime Minister being dismissed by Emmanuel Macron shortly after being announced, Castets made her first appearance in Lille on Saturday, meeting with merchants and activists. She emphasized her commitment to fulfilling the NFP’s program, which includes increasing staffing in hospitals, ensuring a teacher in every classroom, and providing prompt judicial judgments.
She aims to focus on hiring more nurses and teachers, as well as ensuring efficient judicial processes. Castets has emphasized the importance of increasing resources in essential services and ensuring fair access to education and healthcare. Her proposals for tax reform and social programs aim to address inequalities and secure funding for essential public services. Castets’ platform aligns with the NFP’s goals of promoting social justice and economic reforms to benefit the working class and tackle fiscal imbalance. If elected, her policies could reshape the French fiscal landscape and social welfare system.
