Le Pen's plan to cut France's EU payments

Marine Le Pen told the Financial Times, in an interview published on 14 October, that if elected she would cut France's funding to the European Union by 11 billion euros in the first year, then by tens of billions more in later years. BFMTV reports the first-year figure as 11 billion euros, while POLITICO gives 11.1 billion euros as the yearly reduction her party has proposed. The Rassemblement national presents the cut as a source of savings for restoring public finances. Le Pen acknowledged that the debate would be difficult, possibly a trial of strength, but said she and her side intend to succeed. Under the European treaties, the measure needs the agreement of the other 26 member states, which is far from assured, and Berlin is seen as one of the main opponents. She also no longer wants to take France out of the euro, arguing that the EU occupies too large a place in the French economy.

Retailleau wants a rebate, without a figure

Bruno Retailleau, leader of Les Republicains, spoke at POLITICO's Competitiveness Summit in Paris on 13 October and said France should seek a rebate on its EU contribution.

Why should we contribute more when we know how dire our public finances are?

He singled out structural funds, which are invested in poorer European regions, as an area where savings could be made, arguing that these countries have nearly caught up. He also said France's defence and nuclear deterrence spending should count toward its contribution, because forward deterrence benefits its European neighbours. He did not say how large a rebate he would demand. Retailleau said he would pursue a negotiation rather than impose a lower contribution unilaterally, as Le Pen says she would do. The former interior minister, who is trailing Edouard Philippe and Le Pen in the polls according to POLITICO, accused Emmanuel Macron of seeking to adopt the EU budget before the end of the year. He argued that a president without a majority in the National Assembly should not lock in a budget that runs beyond his mandate.

Frugal states and the Brussels summit

European leaders meet in Brussels on 15 and 16 October to discuss the bloc's Multiannual Financial Framework, the seven-year budget. The so-called frugal countries want a smaller EU budget, while others want a bigger one, and France sits in neither camp. Le Monde describes the frugals as going on the offensive to shrink the budget, and says they have styled themselves the 'sensible six'. Le Soir reports that the Patriots for Europe group, the third force in the European Parliament, will host Le Pen in Brussels on 14 October. Since the defeat of Viktor Orban, the group has been represented at the summit only by Czech prime minister Andrej Babis.

An RN counter-budget under scrutiny

The Rassemblement national presented its counter-budget on 6 October, one week before the finance bill was to be examined in the National Assembly. The plan aims to bring the public deficit down to 3.7% of GDP in 2027 and 2.2% in 2032.

Le Pen proposed an adjustment of 140 billion euros in net savings by 2032 compared with 2026. Courrier international judged the plan hard to believe, arguing that the problem lies less in the targets than in the means to reach them. The party had also been hit by Mediapart's revelations about antisemitic writings attributed to Jordan Bardella, which the outlet's coverage links to a difficult stretch for the RN.