Le Pen Unveils French Budget Plan: €140B Spending Cuts, Deficit Below 3% by 2030

PARIS — French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen presented her economic program on October 6, 2026, proposing €140 billion ($157 billion) in spending cuts by 2032 and a public deficit below 3% of GDP by 2030, down from current levels. Le Pen, of the National Rally, pledged a constitutional "golden rule" limiting future deficits, to be approved by referendum. She targets a primary budget balance within 18 months of taking office and debt reduced to 112% of GDP by 2032 from around 121% in 2027. The plan includes €30 billion in tax cuts, a €20 billion reduction in corporate production taxes, and replacing the real estate wealth tax with a 30% financial wealth tax. She also proposed cutting France's net EU contribution to €5 billion and reducing energy taxes.