French Voters "Don't Trust Macron... Trust Le Pen's Economic Policies"

25% "RN is the Right Economic Policy"

French voters have shown the far-right party 'Rassemblement National (RN)' to be the most trusted in terms of economic policy.

According to major foreign media on the 23rd (local time), an Ipsos poll found that 25% of respondents believe that the RN, led by Marine Le Pen, will make the right decisions on economic issues. The poll surveyed 2,000 voters aged 18 and over.

Marine Le Pen, member of RN [Photo by AFP]

Trust in the economic policies of the left-wing party New People's Ecological and Social Union (NFP) and the ruling Renaissance party coalition (Ensemble), led by President Emmanuel Macron, was 22% and 20%, respectively.

The Ipsos poll showed that RN recorded the highest trust in areas such as improving living standards, managing deficits, and tax cuts. Additionally, 23% of respondents said they trust RN the most in reducing public deficits and debt. Trust in Ensemble and NFP was equally at 17%. Among the key achievements of President Macron's term, unemployment rate also ranked RN as the most trusted.

When asked which party they would support in the first round of voting on the 30th of this month, 35.5% said they would vote for RN, 29.5% for NFP, and 19.5% for Ensemble.

Foreign media explained that these results came despite RN's lack of funding support and government experience, as well as its tax cut and spending policies.

Mathieu Gallard, an Ipsos pollster, said, "This means that RN's 'normalization' strategy has worked," adding, "At the same time, it relates to the disappointment with the left during former President Fran?ois Hollande's era and the left's difficulty in providing a trustworthy and consistent alternative to President Macron." He further stated, "In this context, RN is perceived as not competent but better than other parties."

Other surveys also show high support for RN. According to a poll conducted by Elabe and released by French media BFM TV and La Tribune Dimanche the previous day, RN's support rate was the highest at 36%. NFP followed with 27%, and Renaissance with 20%. RN's economic policies were also perceived more positively than those of the left or Renaissance. However, 62% of respondents said they could not trust RN's policies, while only 36% said they could.

However, economists express concerns that RN's policies lack measures to increase revenue. For example, immediately lowering the value-added tax on energy and fuel, and reversing President Macron's increase of the pension eligibility age from 62 to 64 back to 62. Experts predict that these two policies alone would cost between 20 billion and 30 billion euros annually. Olivier Blanchard, former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), called RN's policies irresponsible, saying, "Gifts cost money, but (RN's) policies have no money."

After losing to RN in the European Parliament elections, President Macron announced he would dissolve the parliament and hold early general elections. Elabe forecasts that the National Rally will secure 250 to 280 seats, falling short of the majority threshold of 289 seats.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.