Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the hard-left French presidential candidate, will announce his 2027 election programme on Saturday, promising to raise the minimum wage and lower the retirement age back to 60. At 75, Mélenchon is regarded as the strongest left-wing contender, with recent polls indicating he could reach the presidential runoff against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen next April, although he is projected to lose in the second round.
His manifesto, “L’Avenir en commun” (A Shared Future), is the fifth iteration of his party, La France Insoumise (France Unbowed), and reaffirms key policies from his past campaigns.
Among its main pledges is the repeal of President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform, which raised the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64. Mélenchon’s plan includes restoring the retirement age to 60 for those who have contributed to the system for 40 years. He also proposes increasing the net monthly minimum wage to €1,700 from approximately €1,480, abolishing the flat tax on capital income, increasing taxes on the wealthiest, and capping prices on essential food items.
The manifesto supports a gradual phase-out of nuclear power in favour of a renewable energy system, which includes halting the planned EPR2 reactor programme and ensuring that nuclear plants are not operated beyond 60 years.
On foreign policy, Mélenchon renews his criticism of NATO, urging France to gradually withdraw from the military alliance, starting with an exit from its integrated military command. He also criticises German influence on EU economic policies, calling for stronger protections for domestic industry and advocating for a more interventionist role for the state in the economy.
