Presidential 2027: Édouard Philippe from Breakup to Breakup

After asking for the early departure of Emmanuel Macron, Édouard Philippe is now crushing the “fiscal delirium”. Down in the polls, the former Prime Minister strengthens his speech

“What I propose will be massive”: this is Édouard Philippe’s promise for the 2027 presidential election. In recent days, the mayor of Le Havre has reconnected with it by criticizing the turn taken by the examination of the budget in the Assembly: a “fiscal delirium”. No less. In his sights: measures aimed at taxing large companies more in particular and increasing taxation in general. On Wednesday, the left managed to pass, with the support of Macronists, an amendment increasing the generalized social contribution…

While the Prime Minister must deal with an Assembly without a majority and therefore find ways to compromise, Édouard Philippe remains straight in his boots. As he writes in an article published Thursday on his social networks, he targets “a coalition of irresponsibility” which has decided “to tax businesses and entrepreneurs like never before rather than controlling public spending”.

“A crazy system”

In reaction, the mayor of Le Havre calls for “not to tell a story” and to “massively support businesses”, castigating what he calls “backguard debates”: that is, “the suspension of a pension reform that everyone knows is necessary, the absurd Zucman tax, the return of the ISF…”

“We invented the most absurd taxes in the world”

Faced with “this madness”, he proposes “a tax deal of unprecedented scale” with companies. “We created a crazy system”, he explains. We have the highest production tax in Europe [five times more than Germany], which hits our companies before they have made the slightest profit, by taxing hiring and productive tools. “And to continue: “We invented the most absurd taxes in the world: taxes on made in France! And on the other hand, the State helps businesses with a hundred billion in public aid sprinkled, complex, incomprehensible. ”

He therefore proposes to “remove half of these taxes against production, but also half of unproductive public aid”. Or: A 50 billion euro deal of tax cuts on one side and spending cuts on the other. 250 billion over a five-year term. “Those around the mayor of Le Havre specify: “Édouard Philippe wants a shock to competitiveness, but at zero cost for public finances. He renounces 50 billion euros in taxes and eliminates 50 billion in spending.”

Cast off

Four months before returning to the voters of Le Havre, during the municipal elections, his first test on the road to the presidential election, Édouard Philippe therefore returns to the substantive subjects. An offensive which must also turn the page on his now consummate break with Emmanuel Macron. At the start of autumn, he cast off, openly pleading for it an early departure of the head of state : “This is the only worthy decision which makes it possible to avoid eighteen months of indeterminacy and crisis which will end badly, I fear”, he maintains on the set of France 2, on October 16. “I hear the President of the Republic say that he is the guarantor of stability. But, objectively, who created this situation of great instability and why? It turns out it’s him”, he says. “Édouard Philippe has freed himself. He simply said what he thought about what he considers to be an institutional crisis, specifies those around him.

The fact remains that this did not succeed for him in the polls. In Elabe’s latest investigation from 1st November, Édouard Philippe continues to decline and be left behind by the president of the RN, Jordan Bardella (35%). But with 15.5%, he would be able to qualify for the second round, ahead of Jean-Luc Mélenchon (12.5%) and Raphaël Glucksmann (11%).

Yet, as November’s Odoxa barometer showed, the French largely supported his criticism of Emmanuel Macron. Thus, 67% of respondents believe that he was “right” to ask for his departure. But, in the October ranking of the French’s favorite personalities, he lost four points and only had 28% favorable opinions behind Jordan Bardella (36%) and Marine Le Pen (35%), Gabriel Attal bringing together, him, 27%. Eighteen months before the presidential election, Édouard Philippe sets the tone: he will move forward from breakup to breakup.