Macron's opponents eye reforms that could shake France-EU relations

From budget cuts to immigration reforms, National Rally and New Popular Front policies could challenge France's EU commitments.

Transcript

00:00The political opponents of French President Emmanuel Macron could cause tremors in the

00:06European Union if they achieve a second-round victory.

00:10Whilst the far-right no longer talk of Frexit or leaving the euro, some of the proposals

00:15put forward by the national rally are contrary to European law.

00:21Jordan Bardella announced that if he was in government, he would withdraw part of the

00:26contribution of France to the budget of the European Union.

00:29So obviously, it would be a question of the commitment of France.

00:32There is a commitment to open a negotiation to reform free movement within the Schengen

00:40area, to reserve it to European exporters.

00:44There is also the idea of a more strict immigration control, possibly supported by

00:50a referendum to pass French law above European law.

00:55So there we would be in flagrant contradiction with European law.

00:59The national rally is also proposing a cut in VAT on energy, again incompatible with

01:05EU rules since tax decisions must be taken unanimously.

01:11It also wants to reverse Emmanuel Macron's pensions reform.

01:15Although this doesn't fall under the EU's remit, Macron's reform was recommended by

01:20the European Commission to bring the public deficit under control.

01:27Even without leaving the EU, the national rally's programme would have an effect.

01:32It's more perverse than that, in a way.

01:35It's not an exit from the European Union, but it's a question of certain European policies,

01:40in any case, of France's participation in European policies or France's commitments.

01:46The left-wing parties, united under the banner of the new Popular Front, are not calling

01:52into question France's commitment to the Union.

01:56However, tensions could arise over budgetary issues.

02:01When you look at the economic and social component of this programme, it has a cost

02:08of some 150 billion or 200 billion.

02:11And then there would be the question of controlling the deficit or public debt,

02:16of the convergence or, in this case, the divergence of the French economy with the economy of its European partners.

02:23And then, quite simply, if we let go of the deficit and the debt, once again,

02:28we would be in contradiction with the commitments to reduce this deficit and this debt

02:32within the framework of the Stability Pact.

02:34According to the analysts, the new Popular Front is proposing a revision of the EU's political priorities,

02:40such as an end to free trade treaties or a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.