A program divided into three major points: respecting the financial commitments with Europe, in particular the maintenance of the deficit/GDP at 3%; reduction of public expenditure for a value equal to 3% of GDP (about 60 billion); and public investment plan of 50 billion over the term of office (5 years). Emmanuel Macron, candidate for the office of President of the French Republic, finally unveils its long-awaited economic program and does so through a long interview with Les Echos: the goal, of course, is to propose an alternative vision to the strongly anti-European ones that bounce from right to left, from the favorite Le Pen, to the socialist Hamon, to the radical Melenchon. To access the ballot, the liberal, ex-minister of the economy under Hollande and now considered a transversal figure capable of garnering support everywhere, will have to overcome competition from Sarkozy's ex-premier François Fillon, with whom he shares some views.
Here is his economic program point by point:
INVESTMENTS
"The two priorities - said Macron - are a training plan for young people and the unemployed and the ecological and energy transition". For these two projects, the leader of the centrist movement “En Marche!” intends to allocate 30 billion (15 for each), plus another 20 to be distributed equally for health, agriculture, digitization of the PA and transport.
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE CUTS
State apparatus – The main cut, of 25 billion, will be on state spending, whose governance will be completely overhauled. "The status of officials will not be affected - Macron guarantees - but modernised". In particular, the plan focuses on the non-replacement of 120 outgoing public employees (50 from the PA, 70 from local authorities), a decision which, however, "will be up to the ministers".
Healthcare – Another 15 billion will be cut from health insurance. “However, I will not touch any jobs in public hospitals – specified Macron in the interview with the newspaper Les Echos -. The sector will be reorganized and modernized”. Treatments for chronic diseases, eyeglasses and hearing aids will therefore continue to be reimbursed at 100%, while new features are planned for medicines: "They will be sold individually to avoid waste".
Work and pensions – "We will cut 10 billion in insurance costs for the unemployed, thanks to structural reforms", argues the candidate who will turn 40 only next December. On work, other innovations are included in the program, such as the farewell to the 35-hour week for young people, the abolition of contributions for unemployment and for sickness paid by the worker, the clean cut (10 percentage points) of taxes for companies who hire on the minimum wage (SMIC). On pensions, Macron has postponed a detailed proposal until March 2, but in the general plan there is also the option for "à la carte" pensions, i.e. personalized on the basis of criteria that will evidently be set out in the coming days.
Local societies - Another 10 billion will then be recovered from a new pact with local autonomies: "In exchange they will have more freedom of maneuver - explained Macron -, including in the reform of school rhythms". The pact provides for 10 billion less public spending over the five-year period.
MUG
The first objective is "greater fiscal stability, so we will avoid touching a tax several times during the legislature". Macron expects to arrive by the end of the mandate to lower automatic withdrawals for a total of 20 billion, "to boost purchasing power and investments". However, there will be immediate shock therapy, at the beginning of the mandate, to lower taxes on the poorest classes: a 10 billion euro operation, according to the plan illustrated by the centrist candidate. In particular, it will be a question - Macron specified in a subsequent interview with RMC radio - of an exemption from the housing tax for the middle and poor classes, or for 80% of those who currently pay it, starting from 2019".
SCHOOL, ENVIRONMENT, CULTURE, ETHICS, SAFETY AND EUROPE
Macron wants to reform the school investing more in the suburbs and paying teachers "much better". For culture, on the other hand, the Renzi bonus is on its way: a 500 euro check for under 18s, financed by the state and by large multinationals (Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook).
Sulla bioethics, wants to grant legal recognition to children born from surrogacy abroad. As for the of your digital ecosystem. , the plan provides for the creation of 15 new places in prisons, the hiring of 7.500 policemen and 2.500 gendarmes by 2020, and the return of the "proximity police".
Environment: the diesel industry must be discouraged and a single European energy market must be established, progressively reducing nuclear production.
Talking about Europe, Macron proposes not only compliance with the 3% deficit/GDP but also with the Schengen agreements and the establishment of a common police force to combat organized crime and terrorism.
