As the upcoming elections on June 30 draw near, a recent Ipsos poll for the Financial Times has revealed that French voters have more trust in the far-right Rassemblement National to handle the economy and public finances than any other party, despite their lack of government experience and unsustainable tax cutting and spending plans. This poses a challenge for Emmanuel Macron’s Ensemble centrist alliance, which is campaigning to persuade voters that electing a far-right or left-wing government would have detrimental effects on the economy, potentially resulting in significant tax increases.
Despite these efforts, the Rassemblement National remains a strong contender in the eyes of the electorate when it comes to economic management. With the stakes high and the competition fierce, it remains to be seen how the upcoming elections will unfold and what impact the trust in the Rassemblement National’s economic policies will have on the final outcome. Macron’s alliance will need to work hard to overcome the challenges posed by their far-right rivals, who are perceived as economically competent but whose policies are ultimately unsustainable.
