Employers worried about the RN's vagueness on the economy

Tuesday morning, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire called on "the economic world" to "get wet" against the RN, calling in particular on the employers' organizations Medef and CPME to "say clearly what they think of the economic programs of some and others” and to warn about “the bill for Marine Le Pen’s Marxist program”.

After considering a common position, the three representative employers' organizations, the Medef, which notably defends large companies, the CPME (small and medium-sized companies) and the U2P (local companies) renounced it, while reacting with a shared anxiety at the dissolution of the National Assembly.

“A new campaign is starting in which we will not share certain political visions incompatible with the competitiveness of businesses and the prosperity of the country and our fellow citizens,” remarked Medef without further details, in a statement to AFP.

However, a sign of some concern, its president Patrick Martin spoke Monday morning with Michel Picon, the president of the U2P, while the two organizations currently have sharp disagreements.

“We agreed to put these subjects on pause during the campaign, to prioritize the interests of our small and large businesses in the face of the risks of crazy economic or social proposals,” Mr. Picon explained to AFP.

He spoke of "bitterness" after a dissolution which endangers bills of interest to small businesses, such as those on simplification or on the end of life, and deplored that we have "no information" on the fate of the unemployment insurance reform, or the future Labor law.

The U2P, he recalled, had estimated in 2022 that Marine Le Pen's economic program, "if it were declined, would have bad consequences for the company".

This employers' organization wants to "respect the choice of the people, but the RN must say more precisely what it hears on subjects having a fiscal, social, economic impact for small businesses", he added, citing the retirement at 60 or immigration: on this point, “what about all the people who work for us today?”, asked Mr. Picon.

“No contagion”

The CPME recalled in a press release its priorities, namely continuation of the supply-side policy, decarbonization of the economy and reforms of the social protection system.

She underlined the enormity of the public debt: “Anyone who would undertake costly reforms without taking this element into account would expose France to a major risk,” she warned.

Individually, the bosses tried on Monday to keep a cool head in the face of the possible impact of a push by the RN.

"The message is: +First, don't panic, it's not done!", underlined the management of a CAC 40 heavyweight, adding: "Everyone wants to overturn the table but , once in power, responsibilities create accountability!”

“We are economic players who do not play politics,” assured Thierry Cotillard, boss of the Mousquetaires/Intermarché. But “whatever the politicians, we will fiercely defend our positions,” he warned.

The boss of the French subsidiary of a European industrial group regretted "that we know nothing" about the RN's economic program. “We have just experienced the beginnings of reindustrialization for 10 years with a supply-side policy which has borne fruit. Will all this be continued?” he asked.

The majority were wondering on Monday whether some bosses or senior officials would not be tempted by a personal adventure with the RN in the event of its high score in July.

A Renaissance MP feared that "a very significant gap would convince a certain number of competent people to get on the wagon", and that this would "professionalize the RN". But for now, “the dikes are holding,” he reassured himself.

"There is no contagion of employers by the RN", also estimated a former minister, while also being alarmed by "the cynicism of some who are preparing for what comes next".