French presidential candidates focus on wages

Most declared candidates for the French presidential election are proposing measures aimed at increasing wages, particularly to bring net income closer to gross income. These include reducing social charges, raising the minimum wage (SMIC), extending working hours, and defiscalizing overtime. Each candidate's plan varies, but the theme of improving wages is prominent.

Government considers modest SMIC increase

According to the minister of Labor and Solidarity, Jean-Pierre Farandou, no decision has been made regarding a potential increase in the SMIC. However, the government is considering a preliminary boost of 0.5%, equivalent to 22 euros per month, as early as December. This is far below the 100 to 150 euros demanded by unions, and it comes amid a budgetary crisis, rising energy prices, and an economy nearing recession.

Marine Le Pen opposes SMIC increase but supports wage growth

Marine Le Pen has historically opposed increasing the SMIC, arguing it would burden businesses. However, her 2022 program included proposals for general wage increases. In 2023, her party supported a bill to encourage wage increases by 10%, exempting them from charges to reduce costs for employers. This was rejected by the National Assembly. She has also proposed eliminating social contributions for unemployment and pensions for people over the legal retirement age who continue to work.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon seeks state intervention

Jean-Luc Mélenchon is advocating for the state to play a larger role in increasing wages. He promises to raise the SMIC to 1,700 euros net per month, a 15% increase, and to convene an "exceptional conference on wages." A bill proposed by his party includes automatic indexing of private sector wages to inflation and aligning the solidarity allowance for the elderly with the poverty threshold. He also plans to increase civil servant salaries by 10%, partially funded by reinstating the wealth tax.

Raphaël Glucksmann aims for SMIC increase and reduced CSG

Raphaël Glucksmann also promises to increase the SMIC to 1,700 euros net per month, correcting a previous error by his spokesperson, Sacha Houlié, who had mistakenly stated a 100-euro annual increase. He plans to reduce the CSG to raise net income and introduced a progressive CSG schedule in his counter-budget. He also wants to raise the minimum internship salary to 1,000 euros and avoid funding wage increases through "the dismantling of the social model."

Edouard Philippe promotes "work more to earn more"

Edouard Philippe is adopting the "work more to earn more" approach that had succeeded for Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007. He wants to allow companies to negotiate working hours beyond the 35-hour weekly limit, with overtime defiscalized and exempt from contributions. This could increase a worker at the SMIC earning 37 hours a week by over 1,000 euros annually. He also proposes increasing teachers' salaries by 20% over five years, funded by reducing the number of teachers and school demographics.

Bruno Retailleau advocates for zero contribution threshold

Bruno Retailleau supports increasing working hours with a "zero contribution" threshold of 1,623 hours per year, which is two additional days of work. Beyond this, overtime would be exempt from social contributions and income tax. Employees who have validated all their quarters before reaching retirement age would benefit from exemptions in pension and unemployment contributions. He also promises a revaluation of the combination of work and retirement.

Gabriel Attal proposes labor code reform

Gabriel Attal states that "our social expenses cannot anymore rely so much on the French who work." His main measure to increase net salary involves reducing social charges, offset by a social VAT or strengthening unemployment insurance. He claims he could raise the median salary from 2,200 euros to 3,000 euros net within two decades. He also proposes replacing the Labor Code with a "Labor Constitution," structured around fundamental articles and written in collaboration with social partners and experts.

Marine Tondelier aims for higher SMIC and teacher salaries

Marine Tondelier, the ecological candidate, intends to raise the SMIC to 2,000 euros gross per month starting in 2027. She aims to reassure small businesses by adjusting corporate tax rates and the tax on wages. She also proposes increasing teachers' salaries by 15% and other civil servants by 10%, reindexing their salaries to inflation. Ecologists also want to reduce the gap between median salaries of managers and employees and reduce working hours for the most burdensome jobs to 32 hours without salary loss.

Fabien Roussel pushes for inflation-linked wage increases

Fabien Roussel, the secretary of the French Communist Party, has called for a 5% increase in salaries and pensions below 2,500 euros net per month, along with indexing all salaries to inflation. His 2022 program included a SMIC of 1,500 euros net per month and a minimum pension of 1,200 euros for retirees. These revaluations would be partially funded by reinstating a wealth tax and taxing profits made by multinational corporations. He also proposed a student income of 850 to 1,000 euros, depending on the situation.