Jordan Bardella, the leader of the National Rally (RN) in the legislative election campaign, presented the RN program in more detail this Monday, June 24. With a particular focus on pension reform and education.
In the wake of the first announcements made during an interview with Le Parisien on June 21, Jordan Bardella, the president of the National Rally, presented this Monday, June 24, the details of the RN program ahead of the legislative elections. Five days before the first round, the leader of the RN, who came clearly in the lead in the last European elections on June 9, returned to whether the timetable he would put in place in the event of victory and a majority.
“We are ready to govern,” he said in the preamble before detailing the timetable for the desired reforms, divided into several periods. After “the first emergencies”, the “time for reforms” would come, each time with several markers: purchasing power first, security and immigration then a new reform of pensions or National Education.
It is undoubtedly on these last two points that Jordan Bardella insisted the most. His explanations on pensions were eagerly awaited after several questions and doubts in recent days about his party’s real vision on this issue. The leader of the RN also judged to have been “caricatured” in recent weeks while his changes of heart were highlighted. This time, Jordan Bardella assures him, in the event of victory, the retirement age will be modified to take into account long careers. A person who started working at the age of 20 and has 40 years of contributions will be able to leave at the age of 60. “France which gets up early has the right to a healthy retirement,” he summarized.
But that’s not all, a progressive timetable will be put in place with a goal: “a legal retirement age of 62” and a “number of years of up to 42 years of contributions”, against 43 years for the current legal age for people born after 1965. The pension reform implemented by Emmanuel Macron in 2023 would therefore be reviewed. Jordan Bardella confirmed that it would “in principle” be repealed.
“A big bang of authority” at school
Another important point in Jordan Bardella’s speech, the theme of Education occupied a large part of the presentation of this program. Note in particular the desire for a “big bang of authority” at school, from the next school year in September. By this formula, the RN sees in particular the ban on mobile phones within establishments, even in high school. Symbolic announcements are also there like the continuation of the experimentation with the uniform or the obligatory vow of teachers. “Floor sanctions” in disciplinary councils, removal of allowances and scholarships in the event of serious and repeated disruptions” are also on the agenda, such as the opening of specialized centers reserved for “disruptive or harassing students”. The single college would thus be replaced by a “modular college” with faster orientation.
Other measures appearing in the RN program for the legislative elections:
- Reduction in the price of energy, fuel, electricity, gas and fuel oil. A reduction in VAT to 5.5% had been mentioned. Jordan Bardella confirmed a decrease but aiming for harmonization with our European neighbors. The 5.5% figure has not been confirmed. It would cost the State 7 billion euros by the end of 2024. A French electricity price will be reinstated, going against European rules and based on the model taken by Spain these last months.
- In terms of taxes, the RN aims for a repeal of the IFI (real estate wealth tax) and the return of the IFS (wealth tax). Jordan Bardella also clarified on June 24 his wish to establish a full tax share for a second child, to face “a birth crisis”, and the abolition of the inheritance tax for low-income households and classes. averages. A tax exemption on donations from parents to their children or grandchildren of up to 100,000 euros per year every ten years is also on the program (compared to 15 years today).
- Exemption from income tax for retired doctors who return to work within the framework of combining employment and retirement. On health, the RN announces “a moratorium on any closure of threatened structures” and incentives for installation in areas recognized as medical deserts.
- On immigration, considered a “priority” of the RN program, Jordan Bardella confirms a measure already announced by the RN in its recent programs: the end of land law for better “control of immigration”. The reform of the rules of family reunification and the suspension of regularization by the prefects of foreigners in an irregular situation are also on the program and would be subject to a referendum to include them in the fundamental law and the “render untouchable by European or international jurisprudence”.
- Certain jobs would be closed to dual nationals, such as “certain positions in strategic sectors linked to security or defense, reserved for French citizens”.
- The RN program also includes the reinstatement of minimum sentences, in particular for “attacks on persons with a public service mission” and in drug trafficking cases, but also the elimination of allowances for the parents of repeat minors.
- Jordan Bardella confirmed the RN’s wish to review rental bans in the event of poor energy performance diagnosis (DPE), thus targeting “thermal sieves”, and reduced the objective of zero net artificialization of land by 2050.
- On Ukraine, the leader of the RN restated his party’s position: continued support for Ukraine but without sending material likely to lead to an escalation, for example by delivering weapons which could target towns Russians. “I believe that this would create the conditions first of all for interference by France and the conditions for an escalation against a power which is a nuclear power.” A red line is also recalled: no sending of troops French in Ukraine.