Paris, Aug 27 (Investing.com) – France's main business association Medef organised the first presidential debate with the country’s leading candidates on Thursday. The event, attended by top corporate executives, served as a test for far‑right leader Marine Le Pen among an audience that has long been skeptical of her economic credentials.
When asked how she would address France’s precarious public finances, Le Pen said the government must "drastically cut its spending" and pledged to bring the nation’s debt under control, contrasting her stance with that of left‑wing rival Jean‑Luc Mélenchon.
An OpinionWay poll commissioned by Medef found that 82% of business leaders are pessimistic about the impact of the next president’s policies on the economy. The poll comes as France’s public debt stands at a record 117% of GDP and the country grapples with one of the euro‑zone’s largest fiscal deficits.
The debate took place as the minority government prepares to set its 2027 deficit target in the coming weeks and must present a draft budget bill to Parliament by Oct. 6. Shares of France’s largest companies fell to a one‑month low earlier on Thursday, reflecting investor anxiety ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the first round slated for April and a runoff in May.
Other candidates used the platform to challenge Le Pen’s proposals. Mélenchon suggested eliminating all business subsidies to cut the deficit, while centre‑right former prime minister Gabriel Attal sparred with Le Pen over debt reduction. Conservative leader Bruno Retailleau and Greens leader Marine Tondelier also voiced criticism of Le Pen’s immigration and fiscal plans, underscoring the political and economic stakes of the upcoming election.
