Marine Le Pen economic tax and energy proposals

Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National, has proposed various tax freezes and reductions as part of her economic platform. In early September, she issued an open letter to tobacco retailers proposing a freeze on tobacco taxes and the de-indexing of prices from inflation to protect local businesses and combat the illicit market.

By mid-September, Le Pen expanded her criticism of government fiscal policy to include fuel taxes. She warned that President Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to lower fuel taxes could paralyze the French economy, arguing that record-high prices would cause citizens to reduce consumption and undermine state revenue.

On September 19, during a visit to Bomas, Le Pen reiterated these warnings, noting that diesel prices reaching 2.4 euros per liter and gasoline exceeding 2.2 euros could force a drastic reduction in consumption. She also introduced new energy policy proposals, including replacing the ‘MaPrimeRénov’’ subsidy system with a ‘100% Rénov’’ program consisting of 20 billion euros in zero-interest green loans by 2030. Furthermore, she advocated for making the Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique (DPE) non-binding to avoid housing market exclusions.

In response, President Macron stated that fuel price increases are not a direct consequence of government decisions and urged for addressing underlying causes rather than increasing deficits. These developments occur amid rising social tensions and warnings of potential large-scale protests following proposed government austerity measures totaling 54 billion euros for the 2027 budget.