The National Rally’s program for the 2024 legislative elections includes several key points, seen as “priorities” by its leader Jordan Bardella. Pensions, education, security, immigration… Find the main measures of the RN program.
The National Rally launched its campaign for these legislative elections on the heels of a clear success in the European elections on June 9. In the wake of the dissolution of the National Assembly by Emmanuel Macron, the campaign was launched with a clear goal: to place Jordan Bardella in Matignon with the role of Prime Minister and to impose cohabitation on Emmanuel Macron. The RN is aiming for a majority position and intends to seduce the French with a program comprising several points considered key to the program.
In this three-week express campaign, the RN insisted on purchasing power, security and immigration. The RN especially tried to counter the criticism and insisted on its ability to govern. “We are ready to govern,” stressed Jordan Bardella in the preamble to the detailed presentation of the program on June 24 before detailing the schedule of 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. Here is the summary of the main points of the RN program.
Pensions, a vague point in the RN project?
In the final stretch leading to the first round on Sunday, June 30, the RN was put in more difficulty over its pension reform project, a point which particularly captured attention during the debate organized on Tuesday, June 25 on TF1 between Manuel Bompard of the New Popular Front, Gabriel Attal of Ensemble and therefore Jordan Bardella for the RN.
Jordan Bardella confirmed at the start of the campaign that the reform put in place in 2022 by Emmanuel Macron would be “in principle” repealed. During the debate, Jordan Bardella mainly returned to the choice of earlier retirement for workers who started working early. Thus, taking the example given by Gilles Bouleau, organizer of the debate, a worker who started working at the age of 17 would retire at the age of 60 if the RN came to power and passed its reform, strongly of his new majority.
What about employees and workers who started working later? Again taking the presenter’s example of a person who started working at the age of 24, the RN leader specified that his project included a contribution period of 42 years, i.e. retirement at 66, later than currently where the legal age is 64 (for a full-rate retirement at 67).
“For a very simple reason: when you started working later, it is normal that you are required to work later,” he judged. “I prefer to prioritize French people who started working very early, beyond that, it is normal that there is a progressiveness that is put in place”, this progressiveness having to revolve “around a pivotal age of 62 years and 42 annuities. The full retirement age could therefore, in the case of an employee who started at 24, be brought forward from 67 to 66, but the employees concerned could no longer benefit from early retirement at 64, even with a reduction. of their retirement pension.
“A big bang of authority” at school
Another important point in the National Rally’s program is Education. We will note in particular the desire for a “big bang of authority” in schools, from the next September school year. With this formula, the RN sees in particular the banning of mobile phones in school premises, even in high schools. Symbolic announcements are also there, such as the continuation of the experimentation of uniforms or the obligatory use of the formal “vous” by teachers. “Minimum sanctions” in disciplinary councils, the removal of allowances and scholarships in the event of serious and repeated disruptions” are also on the program, 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.
What measures on purchasing power?
On purchasing power, a central point of the RN’s argument in this campaign, as Jordan Bardella chooses to insist on the French people’s electricity bills, the party founded by Marine Le Pen on the ashes of the FN, insists on the choice to reduce energy prices, by playing on VAT, both for electricity and for gas, fuel oil or fuel. A reduction in VAT to 5.5% had been mentioned. Jordan Bardella confirmed a reduction but with a view to harmonizing it with our European neighbors. The figure of 5.5% has not been confirmed. It would cost the State 7 billion euros by the end of 2024. A French price for electricity will be reinstated, going against European rules and on the model taken by Spain in recent months. Jordan Bardella also confirmed the RN’s wish to review rental bans in the event of a poor energy performance diagnosis (DPE), thus targeting “thermal sieves”, and eased the objective of zero net artificialization of land by 2050.
What promises on taxes?
In terms of taxes, the RN aims for the repeal of the IFI (property wealth tax) and the return of the IFS (wealth tax). Jordan Bardella also specified on June 24 his wish to establish a full tax share for a second child, to deal with “a birth rate crisis”, and the elimination of inheritance tax for low-income households and the middle classes. A tax exemption on gifts from parents to their children or grandchildren of up to 100,000 euros per year for every ten is also on the agenda (compared to 15 years today).
Also worth noting is a more symbolic measure aimed at combating medical deserts: retired doctors who resume work as part of the combined employment-retirement scheme would be exempt from income tax.
What project on immigration issues?
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 the right of the soil for a better “control of immigration”. The reform of the rules of family reunification and the suspension of regularizations by the prefects of foreigners in an irregular situation are also in the program and would be subject to a referendum to include them in the fundamental law and “render untouchable by European or international jurisprudence”.
Some jobs would be closed to dual nationals, such as “certain positions in strategic sectors linked to security or defense, reserved for French citizens.”
On security issues, what does the RN offer?
The RN’s programme also includes the re-establishment of minimum sentences, particularly for “attacks on persons carrying out a public service mission” and in drug trafficking cases, as well as the removal of allowances for parents of repeat minor offenders.
What is the RN’s position on the war in Ukraine? What does the program say?
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 for interference by France and the conditions for an escalation in the face of a power which is a nuclear power.” A red line is also recalled: no sending of French troops to Ukraine.