Gaëtan de Capèle: Excessive taxation is a deadly grip on French companies

For the French left, companies are privileged actors that can absorb another tightening of the screws. The right takes the opposite view and competes with promises to loosen the grip. Gaëtan de Capèle's editorial presents that divide as a choice between further pressure and relief for French businesses.

He points to a Senate report as the latest evidence that France ranks among the world's most heavily taxed countries. Companies, he writes, face charges at every level: on profits, turnover, production and staffing.

The problem is not only the amount of tax, according to the editorial. Taxes, levies and social contributions are repeatedly changed, leaving companies without the visibility they need. For the competitiveness of the French economy, de Capèle describes this accumulation as prohibitive.

The piece cites Michelin as an illustration. When the company pays 100 euros in gross wages in France, the total cost to the group reaches 142 euros once charges are included, while the employee receives 77.5 euros. The excerpt begins a comparison with Germany but ends before giving the full German figure.