Marine Le Pen and six other candidates debate economic policies and pension reform at MEDEF event
Marine Le Pen and six other candidates participated in a debate hosted by the MEDEF, France's largest employer federation, to discuss the nation's economic future. The candidates, including Gabriel Attal, Edouard Philippe, Jean Luc Mélenchon, Raphaël Glucksmann, Bruno Retailleau, and Marine Tondelier, addressed issues of public debt, pension reform, and France's relationship with Europe. Le Pen proposed a €125 billion cost-cutting plan to address debt and argued for reducing France's contributions to the European Union. She also advocated for a return to the retirement age of 62. Meanwhile, Jean Luc Mélenchon defended a retirement age of 62, with a possibility of 62 to 60 for certain workers. Edouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal criticized Mélenchon's plan to cancel government debt while maintaining high taxes. The debate highlighted a clear divide on how to approach the Eurozone's high budget deficit. While some candidates favored working longer to reduce the debt, others proposed distinct plans for France's industrial competitiveness and competition with China and the United States.