Achilles' heel for French populists: Economic incoherence and duality between the young Bardella and the “old guard” Le Pen
Despite steadily rising in the polls, the far-right National Assembly (RN) party faces a deep identity crisis when it comes to managing the economy. This ideological divide between the pro-business vision of Jordan Bardella and the traditional populism of Marine Le Pen has become the perfect target for attacks by political opponents in the run-up to the French presidential election.
Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella/PHOTO: EPA/EFE
If you listen to the erudite Jordan Bardella, the French far right seems to be changing its face, courting big corporations, the corporate electorate and free market advocates. Instead, Marine Le Pen remains faithful to her traditional electoral pool – blue collar, workers – and promotes a strong welfare state, interventionist and focused on massive social spending, writes politico.eu.
This doctrinal schizophrenia did not go unnoticed. Political opponents across the spectrum are taking the opportunity to charge what they call a “political sham.” Édouard Philippe, the main conservative opponent of the extreme right, succinctly summed up this duality:
“There is a new generation of the National Assembly courting CAC40 executives and business leaders … and the old guard, who are pro-spending and pro-nanny state. Count on me to tax their pirouettes and inconsistency.”
On the other hand, Éric Zemmour, the leader of the rival far-right party Reconquête, accused Bardella of making desperate efforts to pose as a right-wing politician, while the party hierarchy, led by Le Pen, has purely left-wing economic instincts and wants to raise taxes. Even the radical left, through the voice of Jean-Luc Mélenchon's allies, is publicly asking the populists to finally define a clear economic agenda.
Pensions and Taxes: Where the Facade Unit Cracks
Although Le Pen and Bardella are trying to display a monolithic unity, cracks have surfaced around highly sensitive topics for French society:
Retirement age: Historically, the party has promised to reverse Emmanuel Macron's reform and return to retirement at 62. However, Bardella sparked controversy when he suggested the measure was “under consideration”, immediately contradicted publicly by Le Pen, who reiterated the hard line of the original promise.
Overtaxation of energy companies: Le Pen declared herself in favor of a tax on the surplus profits of energy giants in the context of the global crises, while Bardella categorized the idea as “not a priority”.
While some leaders within the RN try to present these contradictions as a “strategic division of labor” to attract different categories of voters, former party officials speak of real tensions between the traditional faction and the circle of financiers around Bardella, led by councilor François Durvye, the promoter of a liberal turn.
The skepticism of financial elites and the dilemma of Marine Le Pen
The party's attempts to gain economic credibility with the business establishment have hit a wall of skepticism. Last month, Marine Le Pen attended a low-key dinner with some of France's most powerful business leaders, including billionaire Bernard Arnault. However, the impression left was a bizarre one.
According to business sources cited by POLITICO, although she tried an initial pro-business tone, Le Pen quickly reverted to her dogmatic and bossy speech. Catherine MacGregor, chief executive of energy giant Engie, has openly criticized the far-right's energy platform, calling it “bad for France”.
For his part, Amir Reza-Tofighi, head of the CPME employers' lobby, warns that a possible cancellation of the pension reform would “disqualify” the party economically: “It would mean lying to the French about our ability to balance our public finances.”
Marine Le Pen's big dilemma is the elderly electorate – a category vital to winning the presidency, but which holds savings and fears that a populist triumph could destabilize the euro or isolate France. However, the abandonment of generous social promises in favor of fiscal rigor imposed by Bardella's camp carries a huge risk: the loss of the historical base among the working class. Clarification could only come after the crucial court decision on July 7, which will determine which of the two leaders will be the party's official candidate for the Élysée Palace.
