With the re-election of Emmanuel Macron for a second term as president assured according to the first post-count estimates, we look at what he has pledged to do in the next five years.
Healthcare
To launch a major recruitment plan for nurses and care assistants and recruit 50,000 nursing assistants in elderly-care homes by 2027.
To give every child access to early detection of developmental problems (hyperactivity, dyslexia, obesity etc) and their own GP.
Appoint more assistants to help GPs, and work towards GPs having closer links to hospitals.
To have more medicines made in France.
To develop new cancer medicines and innovative technologies such as exoskeletons.
Housing
To expand the system of state guarantors to help tenants to rent.
To enable cohabiting couples to be able to be taxed together, as if they were married or Pacsed.
As promised, the taxe d’habitation would be removed from next year for all main homes
Increase social housing building plus 700,000 housing units are to be renovated.
Give more power over housing to local communes.
Energy and nuclear
Increase nuclear power with the construction of six new generation nuclear plants but also to develop renewable energy sources in parallel, especially offshore wind farms (50 by 2050).
Increase solar power production by a factor of 10. Make France a renewable energy centre.
Invest in green hydrogen.
Plant 140 million trees.
Spending power
End the TV licence fee.
Make more benefits payable automatically to those eligible for them to avoid under-claiming; including the prime d’activité for workers, family allowance, RSA income support and housing benefit.
Make it mandatory for any company paying dividends to set up profit-sharing schemes.
Reduce social security contributions for the self-employed, equalling an income increase of around €550 per year for someone earning the equivalent of the minimum wage.
Immigration
His manifesto states he wishes to give ‘long-stay residency cards only for those who pass a French exam and make an effort to get work’. No more detail is given in the campaign documents.
Speed up processing of asylum cases and of residency cards, with more ‘efficient’ expulsion of those who do not qualify. Expel foreign people who ‘cause trouble to public order’.
Crime and justice
Wants to hire 8,500 judges by 2027, reduce delays in sentencing, create 200 gendarmerie brigades and an ‘action force’ in sensitive neighbourhoods.
Spend 2% of GDP on the military. Innovation on anti-attack policies across land, sea, space and cyber (such as electromagnetic weapons, underwater drones, nanosatellites…).
Climate
Continue to invest in hydrogen power and become a leader in this, producing millions of electric and hybrid vehicles and the first low-carbon-emission plane.
Make company leaders’ salaries dependent on respecting environmental and social objectives.
Make the environmental impact of goods visible at the point of purchase.
Reduce export of waste.
Plant 140 million trees by the end of the decade.
Europe
Reform the Schengen area as part of a project presented to European interior ministers.
Bolster Frontex, the agency in charge of border control in the European Union. Mr Macron said he wanted to ensure “strategic autonomy” by increasing weaponry.
Education
Improve teacher training, increase their pay and ask them to work more hours.
Make major reforms of professional lycées.
Extend the ‘Pass culture’ to improve access to cultural sites.
Farming and industry
Reduce taxes on production for industry and agriculture.
Invest €30billion in cutting-edge and future-oriented industry.
Retirement
Wants to push the retirement age up from 62 to 65 and make the minimum full pension at least €1,100 per month.
Inheritance and money
Reform inheritance and gift tax, including increasing the €100,000 which parents can give to children tax-free every 15 years to €150,000. The allowances for other family members to be increased to €100,000.
He also wants to adapt the inheritance tax regime to the reality of today’s society, lightening the tax due on amounts given to indirect descendants such as stepchildren.
People would therefore be able to bequeath up to €100,000 to brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and step-children without any tax liability.
Currently a family relationship is not recognised for step-children, meaning they pay 60% tax after an allowance of €1,594.
Driving
Wants to offer long-term hiring plans for electric cars and aid for electric vehicles.
Continue capping fuel price cost increases by 4% where possible.
Possible review clause to allow some combustion vehicles past 2035.
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