Key proposals by the leading candidates in French election

PARIS, April 16, (AFP): The five main contenders in France’s presidential election span the ideological spectrum from hard left to far right. A week before the first round of voting, here are their main proposals:

MARINE LE PEN: FRANCE FIRST

Negotiate France’s exit from the eurozone and return to the franc. Immediately suspend membership of the European passport-free Schengen area and restore border controls. Hold a “Frexit” referendum after six months of negotiations with Brussels on transforming the union into a club of nation states.

Reduce legal immigration to 10,000 people per year, require refugees seeking asylum in France to apply in their home region, hold a referendum on reforms including introducing a French-first policy on jobs and housing

n Impose a 35-per-cent tax on products from companies that offshore factory jobs

Lower the minimum retirement age from 62 to 60 and expand family subsidies.

EMMANUEL MARCOR: ECONOMIC ‘LIBERATION

Cut the corporation tax rate from 33 percent to 25 percent and give bosses more flexibility to negotiate working time with staff at the company level.

Give all workers, including the self-employed, access to unemployment benefits.

Accelerate integration in the eurozone by giving it a central parliament, finance minister and budget. Organise democratic conventions in all EU member states to discuss reforming the bloc.

Create tax incentives to encourage companies to hire jobseekers from underprivileged neighbourhoods

FRANCOIS FILLON: SHRINKING THE SATE

Cut 500,000 public servant jobs and reduce public spending by 100 billion euros ($106 billion) over five years to reduce France’s debt.

Scrap the official 35-hour working week. Progressively raise the working week for civil servants to 39. Allow companies to negotiate working time directly with employees. In the absence of an accord, apply a 39-hour rule.

Ban the full-body Islamic burkini swimsuit and introduce uniforms in public schools.

Reduce immigration by setting annual quotas.

JEAN-LUC MELENCHON: BIG SPENDER

Renegotiate EU treaties. Get the union to scrap rules on fiscal discipline and allow the European Central Bank to buy up debt from member states. If talks fail hold a referendum on withdrawing from the treaties, leading to possible exit from the euro.

Move from a presidential system to a parliamentary system. Give citizens more powers to propose referenda and recall lawmakers.

Tax all annual earnings above 400,000 euros at 100 percent and increase public spending by 173 billion euros ($184 billion) over five years.

BENOIT HAMON: FOR ALL

INCOME

Introduce a universal basic income, initially targeting the working poor but eventually extended to all citizens, reaching 750 euros a month. Estimated cost of first phase: 35 billion euros a year.

Move towards a shorter working week by encouraging companies to allow more part-time work and sabbaticals. Tax robots that take human jobs.