The left alliance has pledged to increase public spending at a time when France has come under warnings for its excessive public deficit.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon wanted to calm fears that a possible left-wing government in France would alter the spending rules of the European Union.
On a visit to Brussels days after his leftist alliance, the New Popular Front (NPF)emerged with a surprise victory in the second round of the French legislative elections, Mélenchon claimed that his alliance’s radical spending plans were airtight.
“I don’t know how our program is contradictory to European budget rules,” he said, adding that he was not aware of any spending rules in the bloc, other than the need to maintain a “some level of balance.”
“What I can say is that we are smart and intelligent enough to understand that We have no interest in colliding head-on with institutions capable of the worst, like the European Commission,” he added, alluding to the powerful community Executive.
In the campaign, the New Popular Front promised increase public spending by 150 billion euros and promised to raise public sector salaries and housing aid by 10%. He says the extra spending will be offset by taxes on the richest and big businesses.
But Paris is already under scrutiny from Brussels for its inability to stop the public deficit.
The deficit issue
He Community executive admonished last month to the French Government for its deficit persistently high -or difference between public expenditure and income-, which stood at 5,5% of economic output in 2023. The bloc requires member states to maintain their budget deficit below 3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This formal warning from the Community Executive means that Paris is expected to elaborate a one-on-one plan with Brussels to reduce its deficit overload, a process that the next Government, once formed, will have to address head-on.
Sunday’s election result, which was inconclusivethrew up an undecided Parliament, meaning the path to Government is currently unclear, and France faces a period of political instability. President Macron has asked the current Prime Minister, Gabriel Attalto remain in office to provide continuity to the government while talks to form a coalition are held.
On Wednesday, Mélenchon said the only way to address France’s excessive deficit was increase income, something his LFI party has consistently defended through tax increase.
“I can tell you that there is no new expense – and I am committed to you on behalf of the coalition, and not only on my own – (…) nor a supplementary expense that is not guaranteed by supplementary income,” he stated.
Mélenchon also wanted blame capitalism free-market solution to France’s fiscal concerns. “The neoliberal policies They create debt and social disruption. Therefore, it is clear that things they are going to get worse for Francewhich has been a state economy for a millennium, than for other states when we disrupt the state and public services and the main institutions of social solidarity,” he joked.
Political paralysis worries in Brussels
Mélenchon, who was the first party leader to speak out after the results of the exit polls in France were known on Sunday, may scare many centrists in Brussels.
Your party, The Rebellious France (LFI), is considered in the most leftist fringe of the New Popular Front, which also hosts center-left forces. Of all the political parties in the alliance, LFI is the one that has obtained more seats (71) in the French National Assembly, followed by the Socialist Party (PS), with 64 seats.
Mélenchon has insistently asked President Macron to appoint a prime minister from the left alliance. On Wednesday he stated that a “rule” had been established within his alliance that the group that came first within the coalition would propose a candidate for prime minister.
But a prime minister from the extreme left would undoubtedly be a red line for other centrist forces who could be potential government partners of the PNV. Mélenchon acknowledged that the process of appointing a prime ministerial candidate acceptable to the entire left alliance had to take into account “all kinds of aspects.”
