Jean-Luc Mélenchon promises to raise France’s minimum wage from €1,480 to €1,700 and restore the retirement age to 60. The country’s statutory retirement age is currently 64.
The far-left candidate presented his campaign platform for the presidential election, which will be held in spring 2027. According to the latest polls, cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, 75-year-old Mélenchon could reach the run-off against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.
Education remains the focus of the protests
The platform was presented against the backdrop of calls for a new strike by student and teachers’ groups in France. The action is scheduled for Tuesday and aims to pressure the government to increase spending on education.
In a joint statement, the unions said that their movement “is in a position of strength, while the government is in a position of weakness and is beginning to back down.” The quote is part of the position statement in which the organizations justify their call for new protest action.
Mélenchon proposes a change of course in foreign policy
The foreign policy section of the platform reiterates Mélenchon’s long-standing criticism of NATO. He proposes that France gradually withdraw from the alliance, with the initial step being to leave its integrated military command.
The promises on the minimum wage and retirement age are among the main social priorities in the candidate’s platform. They are expected to be placed at the center of the election debate ahead of next spring’s presidential vote.
Source: bnrnews.bg