Jean-Luc Mélenchon promises censure for the 2027 state budget

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a leading figure in the French left and a candidate for the 2027 presidential election, has declared his opposition to the government's proposed 2027 budget. Speaking at the summer university of his La France Insoumise (LFI) movement, Mélenchon vowed that his party would "censure" the budget, which he claims will worsen France's economic woes. He described the budget as a "new bonfire of the most drastic cuts" that will deepen the country's economic difficulties.

Mélenchon's strong stance against the budget comes as the government, led by Sébastien Lecornu, warns against delaying fiscal decisions until the presidential election. Lecornu has cautioned against the "choice of disorder" that would accompany such a delay. Mélenchon, however, dismissed the government's economic guidance, stating that those responsible for the current "disaster" should not be offering lessons on fiscal management. He asserted that his party is capable of restoring order to public finances once in power.

To address the budget deficit and stimulate the economy, Mélenchon proposed a series of measures. These include taxing the "tens of thousands of great fortunes and multinationals" that currently do not pay their share, implementing a "tax on superprofits" as advocated by several European countries, and boosting "popular consumption and investment through wage increases and the elimination of predatory tax loopholes." Additionally, he called for the European Central Bank to freeze state debts, starting with those incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.